vampire's mistake
by skullbaby-03
Summary: girl saves world from vampires???? i dunno...be gentle i'm new at this crap....


-----------Prologue-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Fourteen years ago, something happened to change the world…Something that left only a few survivors and they are scared…They fight to keep one another and to keep all that's left of their world safe…A nearly impossible task…  
Now the vampires rule…They control everything from the electricity to the amount of blood given to the lower level vamps…They let the humans run free and hire others to bring them down…All except a few who refuse to live this way and have formed strained bonds with the humans in an effort to restore the world where there was some fun in hunting…  
No one knows exactly what happened to change the world except a select few vampires that forced the Change to happen…And they are highly guarded…But someone will restore civilization…soon.  
-----------November 27, 3050 9:00 PM---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The sky reminded her of something. Maybe a scene from a movie or TV or something. Glowing white streaks of clouds spread though the deep blue sky. A full moon gave them an eerie light and shed blue light onto the Earth. Lowering her gaze, Lia focused on the distant lights. Figures unloaded weapons and ammo from a truck. She shivered, sickened by the piles of rubbish and jutting steel beams. This was all that was left of humanity since the Change.  
"Li?"  
Turning sharply, she raised her arms in defense. Recognizing Justin, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. She lightly pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You scared me."  
"Didn't mean to. What'cha doing?" He watched the distant goings-on.  
"Despairing over the most recent reason to despair. They have more guns and ammo. They'll attack soon, eager to play with their new toys."  
"Don't forget, we have the advantage of knowing their moves and tendencies." He hugged her tighter, rested against her shoulder.  
"Yeah, I guess that's of some help. Watch it." Lia shoved Justin aside and raised the dagger she carried.   
The vampire dodged and caught her wrist gently. "Watch what you do with that thing. You could kill someone." Jeremi released her wrist.   
"Hey Jeremi. Here to relieve us? Or back from dinner?" Justin's voice was hard with a certain amount of hate.   
Jeremi and Justin were brothers parted by the disease. Jeremi was two years older than Justin was but they looked the same age. They had the same deep brown hair and the same build and strong features. Jeremi's eyes were black, tinted with red where Justin's were crystal blue. "Both I'm afraid." Jeremi didn't like being a vampire a whole lot more than Justin, but he just lived with it. He looked past at the disappearing lights. "They won't attack tonight… Even if they do, we'll be on alert."  
Lia snapped an intense gaze at Jeremi for the millionth time. "What happened? Can't you find out?" Lia'd been a slayer even before the Change, but the fact that it' d taken away most of her friends and her brother made her hate it all the more. It made her understandably angry that no one knew just what'd happened.  
Jeremi watched for a second before he responded. "I told you Lia, I don't know. I can't find out because no vamps are chummy with me; besides I hang with you."   
They all turned when a rock slipped and landed with a dull thud near the tunnel's entrance.  
Black hair cropped short just above her shoulders, Roxy always looked ready to fight. Delicate thing brows knit over almond eyes. Even now, fifty years after humanity's demise, she looked like a model. Lean muscle rippled under tan skin as she crawled down the sliding slope. She wore a tight blue tank top and jeans. A jacket was tied around her waist to hide the 38. she carried. "Hey." She stepped from the last rock and stood beside Jeremi.  
They all nodded a short hello before Roxy's gaze slipped down to the now dark truck. "Let me guess. New weaponry and ammo, giving them yet another step up?"  
"Are you ever wrong?" Jeremi said it lightly.  
"Never, dumb-ass." She turned to Justin and Lia. "You're off-duty…Unless you want my patrol?" She smiled hopefully.  
"No thanks. See you." Justin and Lia stepped closer to the tunnel entrance and punched in the code. The door slid open, exposing them to the bright glint of silver steel.   
When they were inside another door slid shut behind the first; both were mad of two or three thin steel beams that would give with a few good hard kicks. A three-foot wide, three-inch thick steel beam spanned both the floor and the ceiling to provide support for the earthen chamber. They walked down the stairs, past a shut door to the one at the bottom. They stepped inside. Lia, disgusted by what had become of the human race, leaned against Justin for comfort. He tucked an arm around her waist and led her to what had become their corner.   
People were sleeping on the floor, some in groups and others alone to themselves. The tiny island in the back was occupied by a variety of bottles and hard-to-find herbs and oils. Cara was blending something. Bright red hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail so she could work freely. Cara was a Wicca, one of few and was currently mentoring Jazaline, a young girl of about twelve who had shown promise two months ago at her old sector. Her station had been captured and she'd been able to get away... Cara was old and aging quickly; they would need someone to take over soon…  
Justin pulled Lia up close against him and rubbed her arms gently. "Go to sleep…They might call us at any time." He rested his head against the steel wall behind him.   
"Guess so. Night." She cradled her head against his chest and closed her eyes…drifted toward sleep…she dozed.  
--------December 1, 3050 11:00PM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Roxy yawned. Her eyes drifted closed for a second. She jumped when David gripped her shoulder lightly. "What?"  
"You hear that?" His dark eyes searched hers in the night.  
"Hear what?" She yawned again  
"I'll be back." David disappeared into the night behind the entrance to the tunnel.   
Roxy stood up, stretched and sighed. It'd been a week almost since the new weapons had been delivered. She could feel her guard inching down and she didn't like it. She jerked around when she heard gunfire from behind where David had gone. She dove toward the button on the doorframe, knocked it hard a couple of times before a bullet exploded through her thigh. Groaning, she turned aimed and fired. The guy jerked, twitched and fell, a bright red hole between his eyes. Roxy slid to the Earth to fire at anyone who came at the door.  
People stampeded through the door, the few guns they had in hand, but most people held steel beams that'd been sharpened to spears and other crude weapons. They each went to battle.   
Lia stayed close to Justin, half looking out for him, half just wanting to be near him. Despite her caution, she moved away, until she had to turn to watch Justin's battle. She froze for a brief second before she had to block, thrust, and jab.  
Justin was lying on the ground, shot. Blood dyed his shirt red around his waist and his left shoulder. He moaned softly, unheard in the fighting. One of the Slaves stood over him, savoring the moment before he lifted the gun, aimed between Justin's eyes and fired.  
Lia broke away, rammed Justin's attacker in the ribs. He jerked, missed and tumbled across Justin's legs. Lia fought dirty, let instinct take over. She kneed him, before swinging hard, ramming her fist against his jaw. He wasn't trained to fight, just kill with a certain amount of safety. The safety gone, he was easy enough. Lia didn't kill him yet, just shoved him aside. She rolled over to protect Justin, killed three through her rage and adrenaline.   
And then they were gone. For some odd miracle-reason, they had beaten the Slaves. Lia stooped, picked up Justin. He was half-unconscious and limply leaned against her. Probably a good thing, Lia thought as she moved to the Slave that she'd knocked unconscious. He lay on his side, blood trailing slowly from his lip and a cut just above his eyebrow.   
Jeremi appeared beside her, sporting a cut and something he'd gotten from a Slave's pocket. "He ours?"  
"He is now. Bring him inside. We'll question him, then kill him." She gently shook Justin and received a soft moan. "Come on Justin. Walk just a little ways…"   
Lia led him inside. She gently moved him through the side door, to a raised pile of dirt they called a bed. It had a patched blanket across the top, but that was the only thing to soften the earth. Lia gently laid him down, her voice soft against his ear. She pulled his shirt over his head, searched his back for exit wounds. There they were, all five. Four in his stomach, one in his shoulder. Each was jagged, a mix of blood and dirt crusting each.   
"Jesus." Lia gently tried to get Justin to sit up, but he was edging closer to being completely out, weakening…  
"Need some help?" Jeremi caught Justin's body and held him up.   
Lia didn't say anything, just snatched some thread and a needle from a counter and wiped the dirt away the best she could. She sewed each wound, pausing to wipe away the fresh blood that continued to flow. She laid down a towel and gently pushed him down. She focused on the entry wounds. "What was that you were carrying?"  
"Hmm?" Jeremi reached across and searched for a pulse in Justin's throat. He checked Justin's pupils.  
"You were carrying something when you asked about that Slave. What was it?" She taped gauze across the wounds and moved to lift Justin so she could wrap his chest.   
"One of the Slaves cared more for his life than his loyalty. I killed him anyway, but he kept babbling that this mission was more about capturing someone. A girl needed to make the Change permanent." Jeremi shifted so he could hold Justin up with one arm and reached into his pocket to retrieve the slip of paper he'd gotten. "It's probably Jazaline…'A girl with dark hair, untapped powers.'"  
"Except now Jazaline's powers have been discovered. Think they didn't know that?"  
"Maybe." Jeremi paused and pushed Justin flat against the bed. "Come on. I left that guy with Cara. He was starting to stir some and she was tending his wounds." Jeremi saw the concern flash in her eyes when she looked at Justin. "Come on. Nothing will happen to him, you know that." Jeremi snatched Lia's arm and led her away.  
In another room, the Slave was tied up, half-unconscious still. Cara was kneeling, dabbing at the blood on his face with a piece of cloth. He moaned when Lia kicked his stomach, withered and twisted against his bonds. Cara looked up. "Want me to stay?"  
"No. You're needed in the Infirmary." Lia took Cara's place in front of the Slave and Jeremi stood behind him, hands tucked neatly into his pockets. Lia waited a brief minute before she pulled him up to lean against the wall. She looked him over, at the damage already done. She picked up his hand and forced him to hold up three fingers. "Hey. How many fingers?"  
The guy blinked.   
"Answer now."  
"Three." He twisted, winced  
"Good. You're awake. Now what was this mission about?"  
He raised his eyebrows and smirked. "I won't tell you. Do we know each other?" He tried to defer the subject.  
"Not to my knowledge. But I would give us the info we want. I'm not afraid to torture. And I know Jeremi is hungry. Aren't you Jere?"  
Jeremi's features changed slightly and long razor canines pricked his bottom lip. He moved in front and knelt beside Lia. "Yep."  
"Now, care to spill?" She gripped his gun finger.  
"No."  
Lia gripped his finger, twisted until it snapped. He yelped, twisted and tried to squirm away. "Two left. Now?"  
"If I say 'no', will you hurt me?"  
She gripped the next finger, broke it. "Be smart and I'll make it all the worse. Only one finger left-but oh looky. We have seven more…"   
"I honestly don't know."  
"Speak boy, speak." Lia broke the third finger. "Tell me everything you know."  
"Fine. Damn it. All I know is that we came here for someone. A girl with dark hair is the only information I got. I swear it." He jerked when she stroked his thumb.   
"Are you sure? Nothing else I can squeeze out of you?" She bent it back a little, just until his face screwed up in pain.  
"No. I swear. Just kill me already." He whimpered, jerked when she snapped it so hard that the bone protruded through the skin. "Fuck you!"  
Lia blinked and looked down. Blood smeared across her hands and throbbed from his finger. She stared dully at the white bone. She jerked, went to work. "Hold still. I didn't mean to do that." She gripped his wrist with one hand, his palm with the other. "Jeremi, can you hold his wrist?"  
Jeremi moved into place, his features changed back to normal, and gripped the guy's wrist. "You need anything?"  
"Not yet." Lia gripped the base of his finger, gently shoved the bone back into place. He screamed, whimpered. "Easy you big baby." Lia let go and used the strip of cloth Cara'd been using and wrapped it tightly around his finger. "Jeremi, go get four splints please? Plus a little anesthetic-just enough to dull the pain for a while." She stared dully at the blood drying on her hands. "I'm sorry. What's your name?" She gently pressed his wrist to slow the blood.   
"Rich." He stared at his hand.  
"That was my brother's name…" Lia's head was bent as she straightened the other fingers.   
"My sister died after the Change-or maybe not." Lia looked up as she caught his drift.  
"Name's Liana."   
"Sis. Hey thanks for the pain…" He smiled brightly but it was dulled by pain and a little anger.   
"Richard? No. Rich was only two when this happened. You look way older than sixteen." She bent her head again and searched for something in her mind that would prove this was indeed Rich. She vaguely remembered a birthmark on Rich's side. Moving fast, she lifted his shirt to reveal his ribs. A pale eye-shaped patch of skin stared back at her. She sat back on her heels, gently gripping his wrist. "What did I get you for your last birthday before the Change?"   
He stared hard at her. "I was two."  
"Remember."   
He bent his head in thought. "I don't know…Maybe a-a-a bear or something. It was something I lost a long time ago when the Change happened." Rich looked up. "Was I right?"  
Jeremi appeared behind Lia with a handful of splints and some gauze. He bent and gently took the fingers, straightened them, and slid the splints in place. He held Rich's hand still even as he jerked and whimpered softly. He paused at the broken skin and dug a needle and thread out of the pile on the floor. He nudged Lia's hand opened and dropped them inside.   
Lia came back from her world and looked down. Reacting, she took the needle, threaded it, and put it back down. She took the syringe Jeremi offered, gently flipped Rich's wrist over and stuck it beside the light blue vein there.   
"What the hell is that?" Rich watched them closely.   
"It'll numb your hand, that's all." She waited a minute before gently stroking the tip of his thumb. "Feel that?"  
"A little."   
"You'll feel it a little then." Lia picked up the needle and slid it under his skin. He flinched a bit. "Sorry." When Lia was done, she put gauze on before adding a brace. She tapped his palm. "Feel that?"  
"No." Rich withdrew his hand and tried to flex it; nothing happened. "Can I get these things off?" He shook the makeshift shackles.  
"Not yet." Lia signaled for him to be quiet. "Jeremi, go check on Justin. I've got Rich in control."   
Jeremi watched them both for a minute before he shrugged and exited.   
"Why the hell can't I get these off if you know I'm good?" Rich stood up when she caught his arm and tugged.  
"Because-rules are rules and some aren't to be broken. 'Course, we had one that said no torture before but that's a different story." She shoved him in front and pushed him through the door. "Things have to be earned, Rich. And I don't trust anyone completely just out of the blue." She pushed him into the larger room where everyone slept and Cara practiced potions. She carefully stepped over the few who were sprawled out and pushed him into another room.   
There were a few chains spread out, some attached to the steel walls, and others left free on the floor. There was a raised platform of dirt on one side, the only thing for a bed.   
"If you don't torture, what's this room for?" Rich followed her, watched her carefully chain him close to the raised dirt.   
"Because, we have some vampire allies. If they can't get blood, and they come back, we chain them in here until we can get blood for them." She took off the first pair of cuffs and threw them aside.   
"Have you ever had to put Jeremi in here?" Rich yelped when she twisted her wrist suddenly, forced him back. "Hey! I didn't mean anything! Damn." Richard flexed his wrist up and down, up and down…  
"Sorry. No. Jeremi's never had to be put in here." She rolled her shoulders and sighed. "Sorry. I'm a little touchy and freaked right now. You'll stay in here for a while…I'll leave the door open so that if someone'll here you if you need something. I warn you though-everyone'll be very hostile to you. Simply because you're not from here…doesn't matter if I know you or anyone else knows you." She reached into her pocket and retrieved some extra gauze. "If your finger bleeds through, just apply more pressure. I wouldn't call any attention to yourself. I'll be back as soon as I can. Just sit here…" She moved toward the door. "I've got to check on Justin."  
Rich was left alone to the dark.   
--------December 2, 30504:00 PM--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Lia checked in on Rich every hour or so. When she last checked he appeared to be sleeping. She left the door ajar and went back to the Infirmary.   
Things had calmed down. Everyone who needed tending had been tended and was now either resting or, even better, they were asking for assignments. Very few knew of Rich although she suspected that some suspected there was a prisoner. She had left Roxy with strict instructions to let no one inside or even peek at the door. She'd let Roxy on the condition that she wouldn't allow anyone else a peek. Lia trusted Roxy enough that she would just leave her there.   
Lia looked around her at the Infirmary. There were only three people on the dirt beds. Justin was in the one furthest to the back. He was still. The others were sleeping, but Lia knew he hadn't awakened since his battle. She walked the rows and sat beside him, checked for a pulse. She gently laid down beside him, curled her body around his and waited…  
  
Blade watched his men retreat, many heavily wounded and their weaponry gone. He grabbed one, shoved him against what had been a corner stone of a large brick building. "What happened?"  
"Sir, we lost, sir." He said trembling, his voice barely above a whisper.   
""Details fool. I want details." He jammed his fist harder into the guy's jacket.  
"They fought better than we'd thought they could. They took our weapons and used crude weapons."  
Blade sighed, then twisted his man's arm until he heard a soft pop. He turned bounded up the silver stairs. He jumped the last five onto the plush scarlet carpet. He walked to the room at the end of the hall. He stood just inside the doorway, didn't make any sound.  
On the winged-back sofa sat what looked to be an eighteen-year-old boy. Only he was three-hundred-and-fifty-eight and had been changed in the 2692, right in the middle of World War IV. He had blond streaked hair and a pale complexion. His eyes were black tinted with deep, hunter green. He wore black jeans, combat boots, and a dark green shirt with an open neck. He was reading a tattered black book with 'Holy Book' written across the front in gold lettering. He made no notice of Blade's entrance. After a minute, he put the book facedown onto the seat. He turned and watched Blade for a brief second before he said, "Silly humans…wonder if the believe in their god now?"  
"I would think not, sir." Blade shifted a little further into the room.   
"Tell me what happened…I can see the bad news from the way you're fidgeting…"   
"We-we uh-we lost sir…I'm not sure how-" Blade stopped when Matthew lifted a hand.  
"You come in here, and you don't even have the details?" His features changed. "Are you supposed to do that?"  
"N-n-no, sir, but I-I assumed you wanted the outcome as soon as possible and-sir I-I-I never thought about-about the details. P-p-please, sir, forgive me, I won't do it again, I swear, never again-please-"  
Blade slumped when Matthew broke his neck. He caught Blade, drew him close, and fed. Dropping Blade, Matthew stood at the bay window, watched the people below scurry like mice and smirked. "Guess I'll have to get the details myself since you're out of commission, Blade." He stepped over the body and walked slowly down the stairs, his eyes more red then black now.   
--------December 5, 30503:00 AM--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Justin watched Lia sleep beside him and wondered for the fiftieth time just what had happened so long ago. When the pain started, low and deep, he focused on something else. Sweat popped against his skin as the pain sharpened slowly. He didn't realize he was breathing heavily until Lia sat up and squeezed his hand.   
"You ok? Need something?" She searched his face."  
"Yeah. I'm great. Go back to sleep." He tried to push her down.  
"No I need to check on someone anyway." She stood up, stroked his cheek and left down the aisle.  
He watched he go and waited a minute before he stood up. He cut off the groans edging up his throat and slid on his jacket. Stiffly, he walked the aisle and turned outside. He leaned against a column, slid to the earth and dug into his pocket. He took out the Ever-Last cigarette case he'd gotten nearly a month before everything'd changed. He pulled out the lighter, lit up and tucked the cigarette between his lips. He took a drag, released it and watched the smoke curl into the air. He jumped when someone emerged from the dark just beyond his vision. "Hey Dion." He watched as Dion smiled, his teeth like ivory in the dark.  
"Man, you should be inside. After the beating you took? Mmm, you must be quick at healin'." Dion watched Justin smoke the cigarette for a minute. He held out his hand for the cigarette and took a drag before handing it back. "Thanks." He walked back, his gun gripped close to his side. Justin was never quite sure when it was that Dion blended into the night-he did it so seamlessly.  
Justin smiled slowly and tucked the smoke back into his lips. He sat for some minutes, staring vaguely at the spot that only days ago had been alive with activity as the Slaves got new weaponry. Now the area was dark and silent except for a scream that rose unbidden from the dark. It echoed back toward him and he knew that it came from Matthew's lair…that he had killed what could have been an innocent.   
Justin stood up, cut off another groan and stretched some-just enough that he could feel it a little. He took another drag…  
"Justin?"  
He spun at the sudden interruption of sound. The motion set him off balance and sent a sharp stab of pained heat up his side and through his abdomen. He stumbled, fell to his knees and felt rather than saw Lia gasp before her knees hit the dirt and entered his vision. She took his arm, slid her hand gently between the slit in his jacket to the check the wounds. Her hand came away damp with red. "Damnit Justin. Come on, I need to fix your wounds."   
With her help, he slowly stood up. Everything wobbled slightly as he took an unsteady step forward. He shoved her away a little, fought to stand on his own.   
Rich took a step forward, caught Justin's waist gently as if he'd known him all his life and hadn't tried to end it only five days ago. Justin groaned and grumbled, but he accepted their help and allowed himself be towed in.   
  
Matthew watched Lia from his spot on the broken overpass. She didn't see him clutch the gun he held, curse Richard. He watched until they disappeared behind the steel door and a little after, willing her to come back out. He wanted to get his job over with so his reign would not be ended anytime soon. When a soft tread reached his ears, he turned, stared at the apparition-like girl coming out of the dark.   
Very few vampires had stood their ground against this hunter. Angel had been trained by not only one of the great martial artists of their time, but she had also spent a year on the colony of Mars. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a high braid whose tail lightly brushed the bottom of her coat's collar. She wore a black cloak that covered the blades she had strapped to her back, calves, and upper arms. Black jeans, boots, and T-shirt made her look slim and evil. Her lips were a natural dark-red-pink that looked great with her smooth tan skin. A bag strapped across her front hid the usual ensemble of weaponry: stakes, matches, one gun with regular bullets, two guns with silver bullets, and rope for escapes. She reached into a coat pocket and pulled out a piece of chocolate laced with a stimulant to keep her awake and bursting with energy. "Who're you spying on tonight Matthew? Your newest prey?"  
"That's not for you to know Angel darling." He didn't move when she whipped forward and pressed a blade against his throat. If he moved, he's slit it himself…and with that blade, it'd be fatal. He smirked. "No, no kitty. Too many rats to gang up on you." As he said 'rats', his minions appeared. Three vampires materialized out of the dark, one behind her, the others behind Matthew. Two humans clambered over the sides of the railing and stood just behind the single vampire.   
"I thought rats were loners." She kept her blade in place but didn't press any harder.   
"I guess you were wrong." Gently, Matthew cuffed her wrist and took away her blade. He looked it over as if she posed no threat and threw it behind him. It landed with a clatter and the fractured pavement. "I've enjoyed the chase, Angel, but frankly it's getting a touch boring." He caught both her wrists in one hand, pulled them behind her back, and with his other arm, he caught her waist and pulled her toward him. She tried to pull free, but he had her caught. He kneaded one side of her neck gently with his tongue, relishing the way she stank of fear.   
"Go ahead and kill me, Matthew…Come on, bite me." She didn't move now. Just rested against him.   
"You want to die? That is a first." He twisted her around to look at him. His features had changed a little to accommodate the long razor canines that pricked his bottom lip. He pushed her back and pressed his teeth gently against her skin. "Act good," he whispered before guiding her hands to his belly, jerking like she had hit him and falling flat on his butt. She looked around confused, but the vamps and humans were already moving toward her, ready to kill her.   
Angel jerked, leaped over Matthew, between the two vampires in front of her, landed, and retrieved her knife. She set off running, jumped off the overpass. For a brief second she was flying, then falling… Angel splayed out her legs and landed on her back. Dull swift pains ripped through her body, but she was already up and running. She skidded on loose rock, swerved and fell into an abandoned sewer. Reaching into her thigh pocket, she retrieved a flashlight, flicked it on and headed down the tunnel to lead them out of the city and back toward their hideout so that their traps would slaughter them.   
Angel heard four thuds above her own clatter, and wondered where the fifth was. Her question was answer when one of the humans swung out in front of her, cuffed her sharply. Angel stumbled, pulled out a gun and shot him in the chest. He gasped, rolled away and she was alone again as she ran. She began to tire after fifteen minutes of running full speed when the receiver in her ear crackled to life.   
"Go up the next ladder, Angel. Then you'll lead 'em into the tent. Hopefully they won't realize what's happening until we pull the tent down." The line was silent.  
"Hopefully my ass," Angel muttered. This doesn't work, I'm calling it quits. She saw the assigned ladder and swung onto the rungs. She climbed, heaving, to the top and ran through the tent. She heard them emerge behind her and raised the mouthpiece in her hand to her mouth. "They're in!"  
All at once, bright sunlight pounded her eyes and left her blind. She heard the guns they'd set up go off, muffled groans and a few screams as the walls of stakes pierced the traitors. She collapsed on the dewy grass, unable to go any further. She didn't look up, just lay there, catching her breath. Her muscles ached dully, and she wanted to drift off so badly…  
"Angel?" Bane gently shook her shoulder.   
"Ugh." Angel rolled over, pulled in her legs and sat up. She yawned and stood, taking the offered arm and leaned against Bane's shoulder. "We get 'em?"   
"Yeah. All except one human. He ran back but I think he got grazed." Bane shoved her into the shadow of the forest and up the tiny tree house they'd found nearly a month ago. It creaked and groaned with each foul wind, but it remained, built for many generations that wouldn't come.   
The wood had been polished at one time, she imagined, but now the wood looked old, possibly rotten. A tiny computer sat in the corner, an Everlast battery tucked into the slot in back. One bunk had been set up beside it, with that a lantern. Their one bag of food supply hung above the bed. Angel sank onto the bed as bane positioned himself behind the computer and typed furiously.   
"Status report on Sector Four?" Angel peeled off her boots and massaged her ankle.   
Bane picked up a written memo from the floor. "Three minors, two dead, one possibly critical. Battle Number 3-2-5. Want the critical?"  
Angel raised her eyebrows.  
"Justin Brown."   
Angel's look changed to surprise. "Justin who used to be my apprentice? Damn. What happened to him?"  
"Report says he got three bullets in the gut." Bane traced the points on his own abdomen.   
"Oh. As long as it wasn't suction that did it. Otherwise I'd be highly disappointed. Ok. What about Sector Fifteen?"  
"Worse. Three dead, four presumed changed, three missing, and one critical. Battle Number 3-2-7. Want the critical?"   
"No…I don't know many peeps in that sector. What happened at Battle Number 3-2-6?"  
"We lost. All captured, save one. She's been moved to Sector Four. A little girl, Jazaline Reay. She's a Wicca and is now mentored by Cara Streal." Bane bent, picked up another memo. "Sector Four called in with something interesting. They apparently took a hostage and a message from the Slaves. The message said something like 'Wanted a girl with dark hair and untapped powers.' They think it could be this Jazaline. The hostage said that she was needed to make the Change complete." Bane reached over to the food sack, withdrew two canisters. "You wanna go check her out, or you want me to?"  
"I'll go. Just give me a sec." Angel took out another chocolate, popped it into her mouth. She took the canisters into her bag. "Be back later." She checked her earpiece before sliding down the pole and walking back toward the city. When she reached the sewer opening, she slid down and to avoid the vampiric eyes that would be watching for the way into Station Four from the outside. They would never think of going in from underground unless given provocation. And she would never give them any…  
--------December 5, 30503:00 PM--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Lia yawned as she took Rich's palm. She picked up a scalpel, gently slid it beneath his skin and cut three lines, all of a square and flipped back the skin. Rich flinched. "What're you doing?" He couldn't remove his eyes from her steady work even if he wanted to.   
"Putting in a tracer. Everyone has one." As she said it, she picked up a tiny silver chip with a pair of tweezers and eased it into place.   
"How long 'till I feel this?"  
"Maybe thirty minutes. Might be more. It tends to vary from person to person. Don't worry though." She looked up a second before she picked up the tiny needle and surgical thread. "It shouldn't hurt when I'm done." She made several tiny stitches on one side.  
"And if it does hurt?"   
"Then I did something wrong and you'll have to live with that mistake." She stitched the other side.  
"Great."  
"Ain't it though?" She made three stitches on the other side, then cut off the thread. She smeared a dime of cream across the closing wound. She wrapped up his hand, put away her things. "If I were you Rich, I'd stay as out of the way as possible. Everyone'll be real hostile to until you've earned his or her trust. Best bet is to stay around someone who already does trust you-namely me, Cara, Roxy or Justin. Justin doesn't know that you shot him though." When she looked up he noticed a touch of angered loyalty in her eyes. "So if you talk to him, this is your story: You came from another Station that got captured. You're a refugee to him. At least until I can talk to him." she looked up as the door slid open.   
Angel and Roxy stood framed in the doorway, sisters grown apart. Roxy's face contorted. "Angel's come to interrogate him. I need to talk to you in private Liana." Roxy gave Angel a shove into the room and hauled Lia out. The door slid shut smoothly.  
"What?" Lia rubbed her arm where Rox had gripped it so tightly.   
"You're trusting him now? Just like that?" Her face was incredulous.   
"Yeah. He's my brother. I trust him. Besides, he doesn't want to go back; he's-"  
"He chose to go there in the first place! How can you just trust him? For all you know he could be an expert con artist, Lia."  
"MY brother could never lie convincingly-"  
"Before the Change. It's been fourteen years, Lia. People change, the world changed. He could just be a spy or liar. His appearance could be a damn hologram."  
"If it was a hologram, our censors-"  
"Should have caught it, but you know they're not the best. You know that." Roxy stared Lia down, her eyes hard.  
"Fine. If he's a traitor, then, I'll pay. Just leave it alone for now." Before Roxy could state another protest, Lia shoved at the door to open it.   
Angel had her hand wrapped gently around Rich's throat, her voice soft. "Tell me everything scum. I don't have patience."  
Rich gagged, tugged half-heartedly at her wrist. It was obvious she'd been threatening with quick squeezes, just enough to scare him. His eyes were a little big as Lia hit Angel's wrists, hard, and shoved herself between them. "Stop it Angel."  
"Why? He's a damn traitor."   
"Because he's not. It's stereotypes like you that foster that attitude that make people wanna become traitors." She turned gently lifted Rich's chin to check for bruises. She found them, claw-like finger marks. "Rich, why don't you go see if you can help Cara. She's in the Infirmary. In fact-" She shot a tight glare at Angel as she took Rich, shoved him toward the door. "I'm gonna check on Justin."   
Rich followed Lia through the hallway, turned into the Infirmary. She pointed Cara out to him, dressed today in plain jeans and a heavy jacket despite the cool warmth of the room. After she was assured that Rich would be useful, Lia made her way to Justin. He was sitting upright, watching her. He stroked her hair, her cheek. "You ok?"  
"Yeah. Just a little pissed at Angel. Don't ask." She curled up beside him, startled when he reached for his jacket. "Where're you going?"  
"For a walk. If I stay cooped up in here any longer, I won't be able to move at all tomorrow." He stood up slowly, tugged on his jacket. "Come on." He held out a thin pale hand.   
"Alright." Lia took his hand and he led the way out into the cool graying sunshine. Not only did night come earlier than before the Change, but also the sun had dimmed. She knew they'd have to go in soon anyway, because with the night came an extreme cold, so she would indulge Justin's aching muscles.   
  
Matthew had asked countless men if Richard had been captured or turned against them now and had received the same answer: presumed dead. Those reports were unconfirmed and he knew they were lies. He'd seen Richard with the bitch Lia and her little weakling boyfriend Justin. He'd helped carry the bastard in, damn it. Matthew absently stroked the drained girl beside him as if she was still alive. When he came back to his present world, he shoved the body into a chute in one wall. He trotted down the stairs to search some more even though he knew it was useless. The ancient prophecies were just beginning to unravel and come true.  
--------December 13, 305010:00 PM ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Roxy walked the perimeter carefully. When she came back around, she wasn't surprised to find Justin sitting down, head bent as if asleep. She walked softly toward him. He'd been working since December seventh. It amazed her that only a week after he was hurt, he'd been itching to get a patrol slot. Only occasionally did he have to take a break and sit for a brief moment. As a half-sister she'd protested his working, worried severely that he would tire himself to exhaustion. She doubted that any worried as much as her, except maybe Lia.   
"I'm fine," Justin whispered softly, anticipating Roxy's question. He stood up, gently disengaging her hand when she caught his arm to haul him up. "I'm fine." He didn't look it though.   
He was flushed, a little sweaty. Roxy thought she felt a faint tremble through the thick fabric of the jacket. She shrugged it off as being paranoid and beckoned Justin to follow her as she stepped toward the short wall that edged around their small plot. A loud clatter behind her came a second before Justin moaned softly and fell.   
Roxy turned, knelt. "Justin?"  
Justin coughed violently and spat on the ground. A mucus the color of blood gleamed in the moonlight. Justin's coughing subsided and he collapsed to the side.   
"Justin!" She shook him violently, but he refused to move. Roxy shouldered his fallen weapon. She picked him up, swung his arm over her shoulders and struggled toward the locked door. She located the switch, pressed it. Lia and Jeremi stood just inside the door on the landing, talking and getting ready to change shifts. They both looked up when Roxy stumbled through the door, early for the shift change.   
Jeremi reacted first. He took Justin from Roxy, sprinted down the steps and into the Infirmary. Lia and Roxy followed unsteadily. Roxy shoved the two guards outside the Infirmary up the stairs. "Go! Now! No one's guarding." She took up Lia's trail just as they sprinted up the steps, two at a time.   
Jeremi caught Lia's elbow, tugged her back and grabbed Roxy too. Their struggles were useless against him and he pulled them back out. "Leave him to Cara. He's sick, nothing serious." He winced inwardly at their hard stares that proclaimed him a liar. In this world, having a cold was potentially death at your door.   
"How can you tell?" Lia looked form him to the closed door and back.  
"Vampires can sense illness and drugs in someone's system. Don't worry, he'll be fine." Jeremi lightly gripped her hand, then shoved them both toward the small hall. "Roxy, go on and take your break. Lia, grab Rich and take your watch. I need to talk to Cara." He didn't wait and disappeared into the Infirmary door, locking it smoothly behind him.   
Jeremi traveled the short aisle to the only raised table. Cara had given Justin a drug, something to keep him unconscious. She slid the needle from under his skin just as Jeremi came around the other side of the table. He looked Justin over, then caught Cara's eye. "He is gonna be alright?"  
"Something old. It's not something I've treated before-that'll make it harder to treat." She reached into her tiny purse, slid out one of the protective stones she carried. Cara gently pressed it to Justin's brow, then withdrew it and pointed to one of the dirt piles. "Put him there for now." She followed Jeremi to the mound, slid the stone gently between him and the dirt. "I don't know what it is yet, but I will soon. I have some old books on past diseases and such under the counter. Until I recognize it, then I guess we'll just have to watch him." She lightly stroked his cheek.  
"You know Lia and Roxy are gonna be in here like flies to rot." Jeremi stood up and tucked his hands into his pockets. He hesitated before slipping off his jacket and covering Justin with it. He trembled slightly, sighed as Jere set it gently on top.   
"That's your job. Keep 'em out. He'll need rest among other things…You know what this is? You've been around a while."   
"Not something I remember. It's not the Black Death, or small pox. He doesn't have any physical signs, save for the flush and trembles…if you'd call them that." Jeremi stared for a brief second before shrugging and disappearing back through the Infirmary door.   
Cara was glad Lia or Roxy didn't come bursting in.   
  
Matthew sighed deeply as a beautiful woman with tawny brown hair stepped into the room and sat lightly on his lap. She pouted prettily as she lifted his chin with one finger. "Matthew, you haven't been around Dealya's for a while now…"   
"I haven't been in the mood for a while now." Matthew stroked her thigh, eyes wandering to the scar tip showing just above the lip of her skimpy shirt. He traced it, ignoring the way she flinched back. "What happened here, baby?"  
"I plead the fifth, Matthew Sugar. I don't want to get hit again." She flinched when he pulled her closer, tugged at the top three buttons of her shirt. She didn't pull away, but he felt her tense when he'd tugged down her shirt and traced the scar to the lip of her bra.   
"Tell me or I'll give you another." He gripped her wrist tightly.  
"Matthew baby, please-" She flinched when one canine nicked her wrist as he brought it to his lips. "Fine. It was Marcus." She pouted, snuggling up close when he pulled her in. She yelped when he threw her across the room and she landed on the soft bed. He looked her over, then stood. "I trust you explained to him that you were mine." It would be easier just to punish her, not pick a fight, but he needed an outlet for his anger…Marcus would be perfect-Matthew didn't like him anyway.  
"Yes, but he wouldn't leave me alone, Matthew. I didn't want to, I swear." She shrank back against the bed when he crawled on. "Please Matthew, I didn't want it."  
"I know. He will be punished." Matthew kissed her softly, then left.   
She pouted on the bed, then shrugged. She stripped to her underwear, slid under the covers, and decided to wait.  
More than an hour later, Matthew reappeared in the center of the room, a bottle of strong liquor clutched in his hand. A single scratch marred his cheek. His shirt was open, showing a well-muscled abdomen that shimmered with sweat. He saw her, snuggled beneath the covers, and sighed. "Tina, get out of my bed. I want to be alone." He walked to the bed, threw back the covers.   
Tina cowered, shivered from the sudden cold air that slithered across her skin. "I'm sorry." She sat up quickly, swung her legs over the side of the bed. She reached for her clothes, stood up and scampered out the room.   
Matthew sighed, stripped and crawled into the bed. Marcus had won, forcing him to retreat. He nursed the liquor steadily, angry that it didn't have any effect on him. Right now, he wanted to forget and crawl into the black fog that had comforted him when he was human and drunk and in a rut. His anger hadn't helped in the fight; it had only hampered his ability to think, to plot. He ran thin pianist's fingers through his hair and sighed. He didn't want to sleep, he didn't want to feed, and he didn't want to torment…something was definitely wrong with him. So he curled beneath the covers and wondered about his demon life…if it was better than a human's…or if he was just an escaped lunatic in some bizarre dream that he hadn't awoken from…  
--------December 15, 305012:00 PM ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Christopher watched the dark witches in front of him softly chant as their bodies swayed to an unheard music. The wind picked up speed, blew strands of hair over his face. His mind wandered, enticed by the soft throb of the earth under his feet as the witches called on spirits and powers. He stumbled when a full force wind caught him off guard, sent him tumbling with the momentum. He shivered as the wind's temperature changed drastically to somewhere below freezing. He righted himself, ducked behind a tree so the wind would be blocked a little.   
The fire in the center leapt suddenly, reaching, clawing for the stars, then was swept away in the fierce wind. The leader of the caucus stepped back from the rest, hair a wild spray over her face. She chuckled, pressed something into Christopher's palm. "This should protect you my lord. All of the natural elements have contributed to the charm so nothing may harm you without their permission."  
"It should or will protect me, Cecilia?" Christopher held up the tiny charm. It was tiny paw print with four toes. On each was an animal of the element-a wolf, a hawk, a shark, and a fire lizard. On the center-piece were the words, "Spirits of Earth protect | Watch over the creature that wears this piece | Wearer be protected | As we will, so mote it be." On the back were the minute signatures of the four witches: Cecilia, Jamie, Storm, and Miranda.  
"It will protect you, my lord. I swear." She smiled. "We have all given it specific orders and powers, Christopher." She backed away, to join her sisters, and to end the ritual by sending back the elements from where they'd come from.   
Chris was propelled back against the tree when the wind rushed back to its prior location. He lifted the chain, slid it over his neck. He sighed, walked to his guards. "Hit me."   
The one closest to him looked around.  
"Hit me!"  
He jumped, swung into action. The earth collapsed underneath him just before his fist would have hit Christopher. Chris looked into the hole and laughed. The vampire was ash around a root pointed up, sharp like a stake. He laughed, stepped back. "Thank you, my ladies." He made a short bow to the witches, then mounted the coal black, winged horse. Another abnormality created for him by the witches last year. He raised the horse to the sky, to return to his lair.   
--------December 20, 30509:00 PM ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Lia lightly brushed Justin's hair. They'd identified the illness, but hadn't been able to treat it. No one had the antidote or knew of it. Cara was now combing through her books, searching for anything on tuberculosis. All they'd found was that it was highly contagious and mostly fatal. Lia'd been brushed off the first few times she'd come in, but she persisted in seeing him.   
Justin'd been moved to the solitary room where she'd chained Richard. He had a high fever and often coughed up blood and mucus. When he would, he wouldn't even be awake. He would just roll over some, spit up, and then fall back, unaware of his condition.   
Cara moved back into the small room with two candles. She lit the torches around the walls, giving the room a truly medieval-torture-room look. She set the two candle sticks on the only table and took the needle she held only to slide it under the skin on the inside of Justin's elbow. She tacked the bag she held onto the wall, so that its contents flowed into Justin's blood system. "To keep him hydrated."   
Lia sighed, nodded. She looked at her watch. "Ugh. I've got scouting." She bent, lightly kissed his cheek, and stood. "I'll be back later." She left before Cara could warn her not come in next time. Jazaline was at her table, poring over book after book. Lia stopped by the table to see what she was doing. Jazz started a little.   
"How's Justin?" She stretched her sore muscles.  
"Same. What 'cha doing?" She pushed Jazaline's elbow out of the way to read the old script. "Still reading up on this shit?"  
"Yeah. There has to be something, some sort of vaccine or antidote." She turned back to read.  
"Don't worry about Justin. He'll pull through whether we have something to help him or not."  
"I'm not worried solely about Justin. Although he's our first priority right now, I'm worried that everyone else'll get sick. This stuff is highly contagious; meaning the chance of everyone else getting it is high. If we don't have an antidote or at least a vaccine, then the entire station could be wiped out." She looked a little surprised by the unhidden anger on Lia's face.   
"Oh. Well, I've got scouting. See you." She left by the back door to meet the troop she was to go with in the sewers.   
As usual, they had a scouting when Angel came around with supplies. She was doling out weaponry and organizing them into smaller groups when Lia slid into the back.   
"Jeremi, Louis, and Karma, you all go to the Northwest. Rose, Devin, Travis and Heather, take the North. Fang, Roxy, and Mandy, you have the Northeast. Lia, Carol, Scott, and I have the East. We'll cover the Southeast, Southwest, South, and West tomorrow." Everyone separated into their groups and waited for their weaponry. When everyone had their pieces, the groups dispersed to their destinations.   
Scott was seven feet tall with big hands and deep tan skin. He had deep brown hair tied back in a sleek tail down his back. He looked like some picture out of a history book about the Cherokee Indians or some other tribe. Only his clothes and weaponry said he was from the modern times. He walked in the back, ducking to avoid a headache every three steps or so.   
After fifteen minutes Angel climbed a ladder and they heard the heavy resounding clang of the sewer lid on the outside pavement. They each crawled through the lid, then waited semi-patiently as Scott replaced it. Angel led the way through the alleys, careful to avoid attention. Twice she had to stop and cover them with a hologram that made them meld into the darkened grime. The vampires they were avoiding could sense them, she knew. But they could sense them and thought they were being misled. Then they were at an old warehouse where the vampires stored the rations given to Slaves. It was heavily guarded, but as always they'd forgotten to check the sewers and roof. Then the plan to go in through the underground was destroyed as two vampires and a human made themselves comfortable right beside the manhole to talk on their break.   
Silently cursing, Angel led them to the old trembling fire escape. She handed Scott a rock, instructed him to throw it just as her hook resounded on the roof. He did it with perfect unison so the vampires took Angel's holographic cat as the source of the noise as it scurried away. They returned to their conversation. Angel armed her crossbow and ushered for the others to climb the rope. Lia was the last up. She watched Angel pull out a wicked curved blade form her backpack. She assembled the pole and connected it to the blade. "When I get one, you go for the human. Vampires don't scream." And she ran.   
Angel swung viscously, hacking off one vampire's head. Lia slapped on a piece of tape over the girl's mouth before she started slashing. She sawed at the girl's neck until it hung by a single thin sheet of skin. She fired an arrow into the body's chest for good measure. When she looked up, Angel was just stabbing the vampire. He fell, dusted, and they were alone in the cold alley. They made quick work of shoving the hacked body into the dark and using the dust to cover the blood. Lia climbed the rope, scrambled silently onto the roof and made way for Angel. Together they all trooped to the door. They elected Carol, a beefy six-footer, to stand guard at the door. She took out her blade and held it at the ready as they slipped inside.   
Boxes stood up to the narrow catwalk that criss-crossed the second floor. The boxes were marked either 'food', 'water', or 'garments'. Garments were in high supply, the food diminishing. Angel took in the sight, assessed how much they could take without attracting unwanted attention. "Follow me. Be quiet." She led them around the maze of narrow beams until they were in a far corner of boxes marked food and water. She took out a knife and slit the tape that held a box shut. Dipping into the contents, she withdrew several canisters of packeted food. She put them into the bag Lia held open until it would barely close. Lia handed it to Scott who gave her an empty one. They filled it with water packets, then another two with garments.  
Burdened with their plunder, they walked quietly back toward the door to the roof. Scott went first, then Lia and Angel. Angel stopped at the roof. No one had discovered the body yet-something to be thankful for. Angel slid down the rope, turned off her hologram at the bottom. She caught one bag, two, three, and four. She waited for the others to come down before she tugged her rope down. They all froze when someone came hurtling down the alley, not bothering to conceal his tread.   
A thin, rather dead looking vampire appeared in the pale streetlight. His hair was tousled in a rat's nest, a sharp panicked look in his eyes. "Damn them." His words were barely heard as two other vamps, these with thick burly muscles, followed. One disappeared, then reappeared in front of the thin one, collected him into his arms and laughed. "You can't get away fool. Just accept your beating."   
The third vampire chuckled, swung. Together, the second two beat the first until he was bleeding. It was obvious he'd been starved because he didn't give much fight and his wounds seemed to refuse to heal. After he stopped fighting, they seemed to have no fun and left him alone. He lay, crumpled and probably closer to death than he'd ever been, in a dark shadow of the night.  
"Should we bring him back?" Lia turned to Angel.  
"No. He may try to feed-"  
"That's what gags are for. Besides he may have information we could use."  
"No. Come on. If you want to bring him back, do it on your own. Scott, Carol, come on." Angel had already opened the manhole and was getting in. Carol and Scott followed obediently, leaving Lia with a choice. Taking a strip from her shirt, she bound the vampire's mouth before pulling him toward the sewer.   
--------December 20, 30503:00 AM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Jeremi looked the beaten vampire over with mild disgust. "You say they beat him and left when he didn't present much fight?"  
"Yes. Angel didn't want me to bring him, but-" Lia sighed. "I don't know. I just felt like I should."  
"Well, you made a good choice." Jeremi hesitate before slitting the top of the IV bag and allowing some of his own blood to drip into the red mix.   
"What do you mean?" Lia lifted the bandage she'd been holding against a large gash on his chest to see that the wound had begun to heal.   
"There's been talk. That a top vampire who helped with the Change was beginning to rebel. Said that he wanted everything back to normal because he didn't like it now. Later I heard he'd been taken to a vampiric resort where they would keep people and vampires only to starve them so they'd bee easy prey to chase or even feed off of. I think this could be him…Looks like him at least." Jeremi briefly described the vampire refugee and he did indeed seem to be the beaten creature on the floor in front of them.   
All at once the vampire's eyes shot open. He scrambled to a sitting position with his back against the wall, ripping the IV from his wrist. He stared hard at them, uncertainty giving his eyes an arrested look.   
"Easy. We won't hurt you unless you hurt us." Lia cocked her head. She fell back when he dove at her, reaching for her throat. Then he was off. She sat up, stood aside while Jeremi chained him.   
"Stop it." Jeremi slapped him hard. The vampire blinked, then obeyed either out of fear or common sense. Maybe it was a combination. "Who are you?"  
"Garret." He stared longingly at Lia's throat as he talked.   
"Why were you being beaten?" Lia moved forward despite her common sense to stay as far away as possible.   
"Because I want things the way they were." He looked up this time, into her eyes. His eyes were bright red with bloodlust.   
"Here." Lia reached up past him to the clear bag. She uncuffed his wrists and gave it to him. He cut into the bag and drank.   
Jeremi watched Garret, his eyes tinted with red around the edges. "Do you want to go back out, or join us?" Jeremi's question broke the strained silence abruptly.  
"What?" He released the bag, careful not to let the blood spill.  
"We can either let you go, or you can join us. We're trying to solve what happened and fix it." Jeremi couldn't resist and reached out. He picked up the blood that fell in a single rivulet down the side of the bag with a finger and licked it slowly.   
"How many vampires are there here?"  
"In this station, three, counting you. Known and fighting, we don't know."  
"The rest of this population is human then?"  
"Yes. You wouldn't be able to feed freely, but we do have some blood and donors." Lia hesitated as she held up her own wrist. "Are you going to stay or not?"  
Garret's lower lip trembled. His 'yes' was soft, barely a whisper. Lia shoved her wrist closer and took a stiff step forward when he took her wrist and greedily cut the skin. Her mind fogged a little, she felt nothing beyond a soft burn in her veins. She jumped when Jeremi roughly pulled her away. He stood between her and the other vampire. "That's enough. You'll survive and I'll take you hunting tomorrow."  
Lia blinked away the fuzz. "Come on. I've got to put a tracer on before we can do anything else." She led him away with Jeremi trailing.   
--------December 21, 30508:00 AM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
After Lia had installed a tracer and she had started to milk him for information she found something interesting about their weaponry.   
"They're starting something new now. Putting reserved infections and bacteria on bullets and wrapping them. When the gun or whatever is fired, the wrapping comes off, exposing the bacteria to the wound the bullet inflicts."  
"They've already started this, or they're just manufacturing it?" Lia's thoughts had turned immediately to Justin.  
"As far as I know, they're just manufacturing it." Garret was flexing his hand and gently rubbing it where she'd placed the tracer as he spoke.   
"Do you know what infections they're using? Or diseases or whatever?"  
"Things that are either deadly or near-fatal. Stuff like tuberculosis, small pox, black death, that sort of thing."  
Lia digested the information. So that was how Justin'd gotten sick... Coming back to the real world she continued her questioning. She sighed. "Ok. What other new weaponry…"  
  
Matthew examined the hacked body. It'd been found on his turf, near his storehouse. He didn't know of anyone who'd be that viscous, except Christopher or Marcus. He would have sensed if either of them had been here. The area was clean of lingering aura trailings except a human and three vampires. Two had been brought to him, their minds searched. He wasn't worried about the third. His aura was weak, barely a light scent on the breeze. He couldn't have done this…without help at least. He thought briefly about visiting Christopher to see if he was missing someone…the killer was obviously human; slash marks instead of bites, the amount blood lost and covered with the remnants of two vampires. He stood from his chair and disappeared to the stables. He led out his chestnut and mounted. He rode alone, bareback across the earth. His horse danced across the water, carried by magic. When his horse's hooves touched the battered coast of what had been Russia, they both felt a difference in the air.   
Almost immediately Christopher appeared on his black winged stallion. "What are you doing here?" His face was neither hostile nor friendly.  
"Nice to see you too." Matthew turned his back to the glass shards of salt water that persisted in trying to harm him. His horse skittered and pranced. "Someone was killed viscously next to my seat. The killer was human but not one of mine. I was wondering if someone had left here?"  
"No. They'd've had to have help and everyone's so selfish here they would have never gotten out without my knowing." Christopher turned his horse. "Come on. Your stallion's gonna buck if he keeps getting battered by this wind." He led him over the hill to a desert land. At the end of the horizon, Matthew could just make out a line of mountains that had mean looking black clouds over them. Lightning struck the surface, sparking quick bursts of light to life only to be extinguished by the cruel pounding rain. A sandstorm welcomed the horses, sent Matthew's chestnut skittering, trying to decide which was better; sharp glass-like water shards or pelting bee-like sand blasts. "Ride straight through, it's better on the other side." Matthew had to strain to hear Chris.   
Matthew tried several failed attempts to coax the scared creature into the storm. He lost his temper and hit the horse's hindquarters with such force that the animal jerked sideways before hurtling through the sand at a breakneck speed. Matthew strained to reign in the scared creature. Christopher rode up beside him and slid off his horse to examine the trembling thoroughbred under Matthew.   
"You'd best ride him into Moscow and get a Wicca to treat his sorry hide before he collapses." Christopher didn't wait and mounted his own horse again before the made the short ride to Moscow, an old crumbling city that had been thriving fourteen years before.   
--------December 23, 30509:00 PM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Lia drifted off as she lay, her head beside Justin's shoulder. She flirted along the edge of sleep, which lay, teasing her with it's voids. She played like she was resting to listen in on Cara and Jazaline's conversation when Jazz came bursting through the door only to be shushed by Cara.   
"I found it!" Jazaline's voice was quieted and taut with excitement.   
"Found what?" Cara hated games...  
"I found where they manufactured a vaccine and treatment for tuberculosis! It's right here!" Her bunched fist pounded the open pages of a tattered book carefully.   
"Let me see." Cara used measured tones to hide her excitement.  
Lia rolled over a little to hear better.  
"So you did. The problem is, the place isn't near here. And it doesn't say what they did to create the vaccines and antidote."  
"Where is it?" Lia sat up, shrugging off the nagging fingers of sleep that clutched at her.  
"No where near enough for you to go. Besides, we have to assume the worst for that area; it's in Marcus's kingdom."  
Lia stood up and made her way over to the hunched figures. She knelt, took the book from Cara and shoved it closer to the torch so she could read. "'A major producer of tuberculosis vaccines is 'Mega Health', located in Brazil, South America,'" she read aloud. "'It sits on the inland mountains, just beyond the rainforest.' All of South America and Australia are under his reign. It is indeed beyond your reach. But I'll make it within mine." Before Cara could object, Lia tore out the page containing the information about Mega Health's location.   
"Lia, you can't go. We barely survive under Matthew's rule and Marcus is much harder, so I hear." Cara shook her head. "No. I can't allow you to go. Far too much risk. At least, not by yourself."  
"And I can't let you go because you're aging and are needed here. I'm going."  
Cara caught Lia's elbow and held on with a grip that didn't agree with her age and appearance. "I will not let you go alone. Take Jeremi and Jazaline. Jeremi for strength and Jazaline for care and magics."  
"Jazaline needs to be here, learning your tricks. Jeremi should stay too. He equals Justin and I's strength and can make up for out absences with ease." Lia disengaged Cara's grip. "Just let me go."   
"No!" Cara stomped her foot and a cold breeze swept the room. Justin moaned and trembled unnoticed in the corner. "I refuse to allow you to go, Lia. Not alone." With a soft chorus humming through her system, Cara lifted a piece of polished amethyst out of her bag. She muttered a spell written in ancient Welsh just as Lia felt as if something had wrapped around her wrist and she felt Jeremi's presence in the room too. She looked around but saw nothing on her wrist, nor Jeremi in the room. She jerked when Cara gently cupped her wrist to get her attention. "I control whether you go alone, Lia. Jeremi and Jazaline will go with you." There was no defiance in the set features of her face.   
"But what about-"  
"I'm part of the decisions made around here. I'll explain, despite the law..." A tiny vein pulsed in her neck.  
"This is Dark Magics isn't it?" Lia shook her head.   
"You leave tonight. Go tell Jeremi, and keep it to your self, child. I'll prepare Jazaline and the provisions. You leave when the shift changes at midnight on Jezebel."   
"Not Jezebel. We can ride my horse."  
"So you shall. But Jezebel is protected with magics. She can run faster than yours, she has better instincts and is more in tuned with her rider than yours. Take her."  
Lia felt an unpleasant tug on her wrist when she started to protest. Cara's magic. "Fine. We leave at midnight." After lightly pressing a farewell kiss to Justin's forehead, she left to tell Jeremi that they would leave at midnight.  
--------December 23, 305012:00 PM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
At midnight, Lia met Jeremi and Jazaline in the make-shift stables that held a pathetic sextuplet of thin, gaunt horses. The two they were to take, Jezebel and Storm, were quiet and of the better half. Lia lifted Jazaline onto Jezebel and climbed on herself. Storm nickered and bucked when Jeremi tried to mount. He quickly backed away, unwilling to allow them to be discovered. "Damn it."  
"What? Why won't he let you mount?" Lia got off to calm Storm.  
"Animals have a natural aversion to vampires. He won't let me ride him. It's fine-I'll walk." Jeremi brushed a piece of hay from his coat.  
"You can ride Jezebel. She won't buck, I'm sure." They both looked at Jazaline, huddled in a coat against the sharp cold. "Cara told me that if Storm bucked, Jez won't." Jazaline held out a small hand to Jeremi. "Besides, I don't know how to ride." She smiled sheepishly.  
"We'll try it." Jeremi braced a hand on Jezebel's back and swung himself on, ready to slide off. She nickered, pranced and then held still. "Alright. I'll ride with Jazaline. You guys ready to go?"  
Jazaline looked into the bag she carried. Inside were food and water caplets, enough for a month, and bandages with herbs, charms, and element rocks tucked neatly inside. In the other bag was an assortment of garments. "I've got everything I need." She leaned against Jeremi comfortably.  
"Alright. Which way are we going out?"  
Lia pointed to the west. "We go out this tunnel, up to an old subway entrance. It should come out on the far south edge of the city. We'll still be well within Matthew's territory, so we've got to be careful. Of the five reigning vampires, we have to pass through three of them's territory. First Matthew, then Aria, then we'll be in Marcus's territory. After that, we'll get supplies and make our way back. I've got lead." With that last comment, Lia turned Storm into the tunnel and started him into a canter that was muffled by the thick growth at the bottom of the tunnel.  
Jeremi wrapped one arm around Jazaline's waist and steered Jezebel carefully in behind Storm.  
  
Matthew slashed violently at the thick vines and undergrowth. After the humans had been forced by their own laws and kind to stop destroying the forestry, the rainforest had grown thick and unruly. Flora flourished and it teemed with life. Reaching up, Matthew snagged a bird. He crushed it's windpipe when he drew it close to feed...he hadn't seen a human in days and would have slit his own wrist twice for one. No matter. He would be within Marcus's cities soon. As reigning vampires, he would have to give Matthew blood, whether he wanted to or not. There were some laws that had to be followed. This was one. He cast aside the bird and lifted the blade he carried for another swipe at the angry undergrowth.  
An hour later he cut through the final layer and blinked at the sight of the short nubs of buildings in front of him. He sighed, led his new horse behind him. This one was a beautiful dark gold stallion.   
The streets were plain, unadorned, but laced with thin, willowy women. Each had a scarred tattoo of points around their neck and a few had a thin rose on their shoulders too. The ones with roses were the ones Marcus had used and grown tired of. It would make sense for Marcus to have sent for someone to leave a body on Matthew's territory...if he had lost, but Marcus had won.   
One of the girls with a rose took a dare and swaggered up to him. she put one pale hand through his arm. She wasn't put off when he pushed her away. If a vampire wanted to feed on another's territory, he had to ask first...he could not be refused. But Matthew had to keep his teeth to himself until he had Marcus's permission. He turned to the girl when she looped her arm through his again. Taking her hand in his, he twisted until he heard a soft pop. "Stay away."   
The girl pouted, but he knew the wound would heal quickly-her blood was ripe with Marcus's. She backed away, moved back to her group and left him alone. Matthew mounted his beast and sent it into a fierce gallop to the center of the city.   
Marcus had felt Matthew the moment he'd set foot onto what had been Brazil, but he wasn't worried. He didn't care for Matthew to be here, but he would say nothing until prodded...especially when Annette was in his bed, her body quivering. She now lay in his bed sleeping. Marcus pulled on his jeans and T-shirt. He took a glass of sharp red liquid from a counter before making his way downstairs. He would go to Clairette's tonight...or maybe as soon as Matthew was on his way... Hell, he might be here to give Marcus his piece of Garret's land...the shit-faced idiot. "Wanting things the way they were? Hah!" He hopped the last three steps to meet Matthew on the veranda.   
Matthew looked tired and thirsty. Anticipating the question, Marcus waved to a girl on the street. She had no markings-free prey until Marcus had her. "Bring me someone."   
She disappeared into a building and came back out with a thin boy. He was clean, his blood ripe and rich. He was dazed, probably beaten or confused with drugs. Matthew didn't care. He took the boy, broke the skin with quick ease. When finished, Matthew threw the boy to the dirt. A man came out, a handler behind him. The handler was a thick female whose muscle had been enlarged with chemicals and drugs.  
This was why Matthew hated Marcus so much...He cared only for the pleasure women could give. He would separate the women into three categories, either breeding, his, or guards. And if a boy was born, he would be sent to a waiting room, to wait for Marcus or one of his vampiric friends. Marcus rarely made vampires, he only shared his blood to keep the women alive forever. Matthew spat on the ground as if the blood had gone foul in his mouth.   
"What? It can't be drugs...They started making me woozy, so I quit." He sat on a rocker and again waved to the girl. She came obediently and sat in front of him. she leaned back, careful of where she put her head. "Anyway, what do you want? Another sparring match?"  
"Did you leave a body on my turf?"  
"No. While nice if you want to scare humans, I'd would rather poison one of my men and leave him for you to discover." Marcus stroked the girl's cheek absently.  
"Well, my business is done then..." Matthew got up and started to gather his horse's reins to leave. "Thanks...not that I mean it."   
"Hey, Matthew." Marcus waited until he'd turned around. "Why does it matter so?"  
"No reason." He rode off, careful to trace the path he'd carved early through the forest. He only had one more place to go...Aria. It was doubtful that she had done it, but she was the only other one...if it wasn't her, then he had another human Christopher on his hands. And he'd be damned again if he would tell Christopher or anyone else what he'd learned.   
--------December 25, 30506:00 AM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
With the sun tinting the sky a bleak gray-orange, Lia yawned. Jeremi and she'd decided to allow Jazaline a little extra sleep so they very quietly packed their bags. Jeremi climbed up on Jezebel, reached down and picked up Jazz from Lia's arms. She mumbled something, and burrowed close against Jeremi when he'd set her in front. They started going at a right angle from the rising sun, heading south.   
The sun had risen and cast slow, languid rays across the earth when Jazaline stirred. She jumped, as if stung and almost fell off Jezebel. She blinked, yawned. "Where are we?"   
"Somewhere close to the southeastern coast of Matthew's land." Jeremi carefully slid an arm around her waist. "Have a good sleep?"  
"Yeah, thanks." She blinked and readjusted herself on the horse. "How much longer did you guys let me sleep?"  
"Couple of hours. You didn't miss anything." Lia reigned in Storm and signaled for them to halt behind her. She slid off. "Stay here." Without giving them a chance to say something else, she crept into the thick brush in front.   
Jeremi tightened his grip on Jazaline. He tensed when it had been thirty minutes and no return. His mind wandered to possibly getting off to find her.  
"Jeremi, loosen up. You're gonna crack my rib." Jazaline picked at his wrist.  
"Sorry." He didn't realize he'd been tightening his grip convulsively.   
A sudden crash through the forestry in front of them made Jeremi whip back the reigns and forced Jezebel into a sudden backward prance. She nickered, frightened with the bit biting painfully against her lips. Jeremi withdrew a gun from his belt.  
Lia shushed the small boy she held in her arms and shot Jeremi a look. "Put that away." She handed the baby to a woman beside her. She made several gestures to get a message across.   
"What the hell?" Jeremi put the gun on the horse in front of Jazaline but didn't release it.  
"Shut up for now Jeremi. They don't trust vamps despite what I tell them." She slid off the large horse. It had to be the size of the entire stable they used. She walked toward them and took her own horse. He hadn't moved an inch since the commotion. "Follow me. And don't do any sudden movements."  
Jeremi fell in line behind her, nervous by how the small group that'd come with her kept pointing the long, narrow spears they held at him. Jazaline shrank further into him, fear obviously showing on her face.   
Taking a risk, Jeremi spurred Jezebel and came up beside Lia. One of the spears jerked, sliced though his shirt and jacket to cut him. It didn't run shallow and heal quickly as usual though. It stung and he could feel a thin trickle of blood dampen his clothes. He looked at the red-tipped dagger with mild disgust, then at its handler. The woman with the baby looked away sharply as his eyes fell on her.   
"Damn it," Jeremi said just loud enough for Lia to hear. She turned to look at him.  
"What?"  
"One of the bitches cut me. And what the hell is this shit?" He lifted the hand with the gun and waved it. They all converged on him, three of the sharp tips going farther than intended with the motion and piercing his arm, shoulder, and ribs. The one in his ribs was dangerously close to his heart. Jeremi froze, pain unlike he'd felt before rising in the wounds. He felt blood falling in slow trickles from his body. The spears were withdrawn after Lia said something far off to what appeared to be the leader. The pain brightened with the removal. He felt his grip on the gun waver, then fail. The gun fell to the earth with a soft thud. Every sense came rushing back with the thud.   
He became aware of Jazaline's small hands unbuttoning his shirt, her training as a healer and Wicca coming into play. He blinked as he felt the first rough edge of the bloodlust that followed blood loss bite into his stomach. He felt his grip on his vision and the world around him slipping away just as he started to slip from his horse. He blanked out from the poison, as the pain was just bearable.   
  
Jazaline looked up as she heard Lia approach. She had yet to figure out what was going on, as Lia hadn't had time to explain. Lia looked tired, just as Jeremi looked worse for the wear. He had gone measurably paler in the last hour or so after sundown and despite her work and his vampirism, the bleeding hadn't stopped. Despairing, she'd wrapped bandages around his arm and shoulder, immobilized it, and then wrapped his chest as tightly as she could manage. "What's the poison?"  
"They call it Aria's blood." She sat down facing Jeremi and the fire. The people left quietly, anxious to leave the vampire behind.   
"Aria's blood? Why Aria? We can't possibly be on her land." She wrapped her hand tightly around Jeremi's for...she didn't know.   
"Apparently yes. There was a conflict or something that we didn't know about. Aria must have complained that she had no land prey because all the vamps gave up a portion of their land to be hers. For her 'land babies.'"  
"But wait, Aria got the oceans because she loved the Titan's blood. A rare choice so she was given what she wanted. Why land?"  
"Her children don't share her taste. They wanted land and she had to give them some." Lia looked at Jeremi for the first time since she'd dragged him back over Jezebel's hide. Dear God, why us? The same question had been plaguing her for the last thirteen hours during which she'd prayed to what might now be an extinct god that Jeremi would at least awake. Now the night had fallen, the true time for vampires, and he was more likely to wake. She started when she realized that Jazaline was asking her something. "What?"  
"Tell me about the poison." She didn't want to ask directly if he'd survive.  
"Oh. Uh, they say that it basically attacks the vampire's nervous system, which in turn presses the heart to die. They say they never stuck around to know if it kills or not." She looked down, picked up a stick and traced lines in the loose dirt. "I'm lucky to even be able to talk to them. They're extremely primitive. Although, I can't figure out why." Lia brushed a dark strand of hair from Jeremi's face just as his eyes sprung open like coiled springs. He blinked, moaned.   
Reacting, Lia shoved Jazaline away. A vampire who'd experienced blood loss would be quick to feed. Jeremi proved her right. Almost immediately, he sat up, started for her, then stopped. She could see pain and confusion in his eyes. He groaned, turned and vaulted to the other side of the fire where no one sat. He swallowed, trembling with the stress of holding himself.   
Lia drew her blade and gathered rope from beside her before slowly standing and walking toward Jeremi. He didn't look, though she knew he had sensed her coming. She put her blade down, hesitated, and pounced. Jeremi tumbled, Lia on top. She reached for his hands, missed and felt a dull pain in her shoulder where Jeremi hit her. He stood, swaying, and stumbled into the dark woods.   
Lia got up and followed the sound of him tearing through the forest. He wouldn't feed on humans if he could help it. She caught up with him just as her reached the river. He fell face-down into the cold rushing water when she ran straight into him. Lia dragged him out of the water and onto the shore.   
Jeremi trembled on the earth, facedown in the dust. Lia picked up her knife and moved it closer. She caught Jeremi by his arms and flipped him over. A thin line of blood ran from a cut on his face. The bandages that loosely clung to his body and arm where wet and sticky with red. She pulled him up and leaned him against a tree.  
Jeremi moaned softly. He hung his head to avoid looking at Lia. In this state he would be able to see all the major veins with a startling clarity that would make him ache all the more. Her scent alone was making his head hurt. He clenched his eyes shut tight when she moved closer and gently lifted his face. "Jeremi-" she leaned closer and offered him her throat.  
It took work and effort to turn his head away. He trembled violently.  
Lia clamped her fingers around Jeremi's chin. One long canine pricked her finger and drew blood. Jeremi licked it off before he could help himself. The blood, combined with fatigue and hunger, obliterated his already thin control. He lifted his head and attached himself to her neck. Lia stumbled as he stuck out his arms, wrapped them around her, and pulled her closer. She settled herself in his lap, prepared to jab an elbow in his side when she got woozy...her mind fogged quickly and her thoughts wandered from what she was supposed to do to how wonderful it would be to slide into sleep in Jeremi's arms-after all, he was Justin's brother and she could pretend for one night that Justin was well and she had him back.....   
  
Jazaline didn't know whether to try and find them or not. Scared, she settled down against Jezebel and watched the fire through the night.  
--------December 26, 30508:00 AM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Jeremi couldn't lose the thick fog that persisted in clinging to his brain. He blinked in the shady sunlight. He chest and arm ached. A dead weight sat on his good arm, slightly warm. He fought to remember last night. He'd been hurt by those damn schitzos...he'd blacked out...and he'd fed on Lia. What he didn't remember was releasing her before sliding into a void. Anxiously, he pulled his arm free and moved over the bundle next to him.   
Lia was pale, her breath barely detectable. She'd slid into the river on the gentle slope and was half-in. Two red marks marred her beautiful neck and sent violent chills through Jeremi. His mind jumped to Jazaline. Had he fed on her to?  
Jeremi stood up, steadier than he felt, and reached down to pick up Lia. He was hindered by his wounds and the failing bandages, but managed to get her into his arms. He could barely sense her heart beating; slow, extremely slow. He started into a trot to trace his way back to where he hoped Jazaline was. He caught her scent however on a stray wind and changed direction. She was leading Storm into the forest, searching for them. He came up in front of her and saw the anger and distrust clearly in her eyes. He felt he deserved more. Much more. Suddenly standing still, he was dizzy and the adrenaline was dulling as his strength was sapped suddenly...  
Jazaline didn't say anything as she slid from Jezebel and went first to Lia where Jeremi had put her before sitting himself. She didn't do much. She just checked Lia's pulse, wrapped her neck in a salve and bandage. "Are you ok?" she asked when she looked up.  
Jeremi blinked. "Yes, but Lia-I mean-" Shit. He couldn't explain without incriminating himself.  
"I know. Ride with her on Jezebel. I'll ride Storm." She climbed up, quickly for a child, onto the gray mare's back.  
Jeremi hesitated. He gently lifted Lia onto Jezebel's back, stumbling with the quick pulses of dizzy, then climbed on himself. He took the reigns and fell in behind Jazaline.   
They rode in silence for a while. Jeremi broke it. "Why didn't you give me a blood pack?" He gripped Lia tighter as if it would solve everything.   
"Because we don't have them anymore." Jazaline didn't look at Jeremi. She stared straight ahead.  
"What? Why not?" He spurred Jez to get beside Storm. Jeremi blinked when Lia moaned softly. At least she was alive...  
"We had to give the blood to the peoples to get information about the poison in your system." Now she did look at him. "That's why your wounds aren't healing correctly and you're dizzy. I can tell." She moved Storm closer somehow and touched the wound high on his arm. It stung meanly. She tugged at the skin underneath; the scab popped and blood trickled out. Storm moved back. "You'll be ok." I hope. "Just need time. Lia'll be alright too. Time and easy-going." Then there was silence.   
  
Matthew hated Aria's damned underwater cabins. She alone, plus her damned children, could move through the water and survive. She kept these cramped chambers for meetings. He looked her over as she walked in.  
Aria was dressed in dark green skin-tight pants with a sea-blue top. The sleeves were long and flared at the end. She ran long, thin fingers through blonde and blue-streaked hair, revealing a quick glimpse of three tear drops that had been tattooed just in front of her ear when she was human. Each had something inside-one a lily, another a moon, and the third a smiling sun. She said something to the man that trailed her, her fling for the week. He laughed, and hooked an arm around her waist. They walked toward Matthew, who sat on a couch toward the back.   
"Hello, Matthew. What brings you here? Have my children been bad?" She slunk into a sea-green loveseat and propelled her guy into a different seat. She stretched out, obviously trying to entice Matthew. They'd once been serious about love, but it'd been brief. She'd been trying to rekindle the fire for nearly a century now. It was getting just a wee bit old...  
"Possibly. I found a viscous killing left on my doorstep. It wasn't vampire though." He sipped the wine mix he'd been given.   
"Oh, that's not mine. I never told anyone to kill anybody. Besides, I've made certain they won't cross there boundaries." She leaned over enough to give a him a hot view of her breasts from the low-cut shirt as she reached for a grape. She hesitated a second longer before selecting a grape and leaning back.  
Matthew didn't find her appealing in the least. "Are you absolutely certain?"  
"I don't know. Maybe if you came over here," she patted the seat next to her, "then maybe I could remember."   
Matthew didn't miss the delighted smile that took her lips as he stood and took her offered hand. He led her toward the door she'd come from-her bedroom. She shivered, excitement and pleasure curling inside. She gasped, yelped when he threw her against a wall and clamped one hand over her throat. He squeezed, heard the soft whimper escape her as he threatened to break her windpipe. He heard her guy coming and turned, one hand still on her throat. He reached for the other vampire and hit a soft spot hard. He gasped, fell and withered as Matthew twisted his exposed power. "Leave." Matthew released him.  
The vampire fled, clutching his side.   
Matthew release Aria. "I don't have time. Are you certain that no one has left a body on my doorstep?"  
Aria rubbed her neck and pouted sourly. "Yes." Her expression changed as she glared at him. She jumped, fingers bent like claws for his face.   
Matthew turned and flung out an arm. He caught her middle, flung her into a wall. Spider-web cracks spread from the dent where she'd hit. He made the short walk to where she lay, back against the wall, head slumped. He reached down, caught her chin in an iron grip, and jerked her head up. "It's over, Aria. I don't love you, nor ever will. Stop living in the past." He released her and stood back. "Thank you for that wonderfully enticing drug mix. But you should know it doesn't work on the undead. Only if you have poison will it work. And you love me too much to poison me." He walked away, ignoring the urge to flinch as she hurled glass pieces past him to shatter on the wall. She'd only hit him once before. He'd punished her enough that she would only threaten now.   
--------December 28, 30508:00 PM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Lia sighed when Jeremi wouldn't listen and kept carrying her. "I can walk you know." True, she was weak, but not incompetent.   
"Maybe so. But still." Jeremi gently set her down. It was obvious he felt awful for feeding, but it was getting a little annoying. He stood up, a little shakily. The poison had all but been removed from his system; now there was only a light fuzz over his blood that left him dizzy when he moved to fast. He blinked into the setting sun. "We've gotta be close, right Jazz?"   
"Yes. If I'm right, we're somewhere along here." She pointed to the southern coast of what had been the United States.   
"Great, we're almost there. And I should be able to at least walk when we get there." Lia sprung up before Jeremi could push her down. She blinked and took his offered arm when the world spun. "I should at least start walking. Get back up to speed at least." She opened her eyes. It felt like all the blood had drained from her head.  
"If you're gonna be persistent, then come on." Jeremi put one arm around her waist and held her hand with the other-as if she was just learning to walk and might fall. It very well felt that way at least. Lia shoved his arm away and vaulted herself into a tree. She leaned against it and glared.   
"I'm not angry with you for what you did Jeremi. I'm angry with you for what you're doing." She angrily blew hair out of her face. "Just let me walk. I don't need a rail-I need someone there to support me if I trip, but not help." She pushed herself off. "Besides, I want to talk to you." She took his hand when he didn't offer it and tugged him toward the woods, where Jazaline couldn't hear. They stopped a ways in just beside a thin, winding river. Jeremi looked at it wistfully. "What?"  
"This thing used to be almost a mile wide. It was called the Mississippi. I came here on a field trip once when I was young." He smiled at the memory. "Now look at it."   
Lia could see the brief flares of anger and pain in Jeremi's eyes as he turned. They were eclipsed by concern. "What is it you wanted to say?"  
"Thank you." She cocked her head when he raised his eyes brows. "For caring."   
"What do you mean? I could have killed you. I have yet to remember what it is that made me stop." He tucked his hands into his pockets. "Even if a vampire is full, greed keeps him sucking. That's all we are. Greedy, demonic beasts that have been mismatched for this world or any. We're part demon, part carnivore, part human, part pure evil." His features changed a little as he slid into his predatory mask.   
"No you're not. If you were, then I wouldn't be here."   
"Ok. Change that-most. That's all most of us are." He noticed she was trembling and shrugged out of his coat. He walked toward her and put it around her shoulders. She slumped under the weight a little.   
It was hard to think of her as weak. She was Lia and hardly acted weak. "See? That proves it." She straightened a little and looked past him. "You hear that?"  
Jeremi listened closely. There it was. A soft rustle as if someone was carefully walking through bushes, trying not alert his prey. Jeremi turned. The hunters were never hunted and he wouldn't be now. He started to leave Lia alone, then stopped. That would leave her defenseless. It was a trick he'd used a couple of times. Lure away the protector and circle back for the prey. He circled back in front of Lia to protect her from what-no who-whoever was coming. He could sense it now. Human, tired, and hungry. Jeremi caught the scent of one but didn't know if there were others in the grass. He stayed close. The human appeared from the bushes and stared at them hard.   
He was dressed in camouflage shirt and pants with a gun and a set of arrows in hand. He was lean, tanned with deep blue eyes that didn't fit his hunter appearance. When he saw Jeremi he recognized him for what he was-a vampire. He drew and arrow, put it in the bow and away it flew.   
Jeremi shoved Lia back. If it went through him, it'd hit her. It hit right below his right nipple. Jeremi backed up a step. It didn't hurt like the last spears. That meant it didn't have poison. He could feel a different pain though;, his heart had been grazed. He swallowed, reached up and pulled the arrow free. He broke it in two and threw it to the ground. Oh, but he still wasn't in top shape from the poison. He could feel his strength sapping away quickly. Best catch him now. Jeremi threw himself onto the human.   
They landed in a heap, Jeremi on top, losing strength. Lia got up, stumbled and tried to disengage the hunter's weaponry. She picked up the gun from where he'd dropped it and fired a shot into the air. They both looked up. "Damn you both to hell. We don't need any more wounded and I'm not made for this." She sank to her knees, the gun still raised. "Jeremi, get off. You stand up. We won't hurt you."   
Jeremi got off the frightened human. He just sat there, trembling.  
"Stand up. We won't hurt you." She lowered the gun and threw it into the brush. "Come on." Even as she spoke softly, Jeremi made his way over to her and helped her stand.   
The hunter stood up. "Please, just let me go. Please."   
Lia stumbled toward him. "Come on. Follow us back to camp. Please. We've got food." She held out one slim hand.   
The hunter glanced around. Then he whipped one hand forward and pulled a knife from a hidden sheath. He pulled Lia close against him and put the knife at her throat. The blade edge greedily cut around her skin and made a thin line of blood appear. "Let me go or she dies."  
"Let her go, boy. If you remember, you shot first. I'd made no move toward you when you fired." Jeremi growled softly as he paused. "Let her go. She's frail now, I don't want her dead because of your stupidity." Jeremi ignored the indignant look Lia gave him.  
"You let me go." The hunter pushed the blade in closer and deepened the cut.   
"Fine. You can go. But you've got to release her." Jeremi was an expert at negotiating and stabbing people in the back. That had been his blessing in school.   
"No. I'm taking her as collateral; just to the edge of the forest. You can pick her up there." He edged toward the woods.  
"No you're not. If you take her, I can follow your scent. Hell, I can follow your scent anyway. This is the way you have it, boy. If you kill her, I'll kill you. If you leave now, I may follow you and kill you anyway. If you leave with her, I will definitely kill you." Jeremi edged closer as he spoke, just enough to get some advantage.   
"Well, I can at least cause you pain before I die." The hunter lifted the knife and brought it down against Lia's ribs. She moaned and tried instantly to bring her arms up to cover herself, but he held her too tight. She gasped, leaned forward to try and weaken his grip. She found herself clutched tighter against him until he was almost cracking her ribs. He slashed at her again, this time across her chest at an angle. The blade ripped through fabric and skin in a rough jagged cut that went from her right shoulder to her left side. And then she was knocked aside.  
Jeremi rolled with the hunter and knocked him out with three good blows. He tied up the hunter before he remembered Lia. She lay on the ground, unmoving with one hand clamped tightly over her ribs. She moaned when Jeremi tried to pry away her hand. "I'm fine. Just sore."   
"Like Hell you are." Jeremi took off the bandages on his arm and applied them to Lia. It would do until he got her to Jazaline. He helped her to stand and let her lean against a tree. He threw the hunter over his shoulder and wrapped his free hand around Lia's waist. She leaned against him and followed him toward camp.   
--------December 29, 305010:00 AM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The hunter blinked in the soft light. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the vampire looked over at him. He realized he was tied and wondered a bit slowly why he wasn't dead. The girl he'd taken hostage was facing him, leaned up against a log that'd been dragged over. She looked up and smiled softly, apparently having no grudges against him for almost taking her life. He could see the white of a bandage under her shirt, one wrapped bulkily around her waist, the other sliding across her breast and shoulder. She got up and limped closer. She sat down and tugged at him until he was sitting up. She reached behind him and undid the ropes that held him.  
"Hi. My name's Lia. Jeremi's the vamp, but if you try and kill him again, I'll kill you." Her eyes went dark and serious. Jeremi walked in behind her. "Who're you?"   
He hesitated. "Cameron." He rubbed his wrists absently.  
"Cameron, we didn't want to hurt you last night. Are you ok?" Jeremi stood behind him, hands tucked into his pockets, but Cameron could see the hilt of a blade glitter brightly in the sun. He jumped when Lia pressed her hand to his cheek. "Don't worry about Jeremi, Cameron. He won't hurt you." She brushed her thumb over a cut on his jaw line. "Just answer me please."   
"Sore," he finally said. His eyes stayed firmly attached to Jeremi.   
"You want some water?" Lia leaned back, a brief grimace flashing across her face.   
"No. I want to go." Cameron blinked.  
"We'll let you go. We just want to ask you some stuff." Lia turned as Jazaline came back into the clearing. Jazaline looked over at them.   
"He's awake?"  
"Yes. Would you come here for a second?" Lia shoved herself over to make room.  
Jazaline sat lightly in front of Cameron and took his face in her hands. He sat rigidly stiff. "I won't hurt you. It's against my nature. I'm just checking for any major wounds or a concussion of some sort." She gently brushed his cheeks, healed the cut, and sat back on her heels. "You're fine. Would you like some food?" She ignored the way Jeremi's face showed disapproval.  
"No."   
"Ok." Lia stretched a little in an effort to alleviated some pain. "We're looking for an old human city in what was Brazil. It's called Saint Anyos. Do you know where it is?" She rubbed one hand gently over the thick burly bandage son her ribs.  
"About 30 miles south of the next coast." He blinked. "I'm from there."  
"If you're from that far away, then why are you here?" Jeremi raised his eyebrows as he waited for an answer.  
"Because. Marcus doesn't care for men. He'll either kill you, save you for later, or keep you for breeding. He cares only for the pleasure women can give when a man's steeped in them." He snorted. "The bastard."  
"So why are you here?"  
"A few have escaped. Marcus doesn't care much as long as he mostly has control and women. We have a-a-a colony if you would call it that. Out of fifty people, there are only three women. Two wear the crossed rose and point mark that means they've been used to where they're no good any more." He shrugged. "There's very little food. The men drew names and sent four of us off in separate directions to find food and bring some back."  
"So why did you attack last night?"   
"Back home, if you see a vamp, you attack. Marcus rewards his men by letting them use his best or second-best whore. That's a prize because Marcus only settles for the best. The sonofabitch has gone off to Christopher, Aria, Devin, and Garret's lands in search of bitches to bring back. He's been a sex addict since 1834-before he was changed and lived in New Orleans where whore houses were cheap and frequent." Carmen spat.   
"Would you be willing to lead us back? We need something the city once created. Please?"  
Carmen looked them over. He slowly stood up. "Come on. I'm not going fast, but I won't be slow for you all."  
  
Cara patted Justin's brow with a cool damp rag. He coughed and moaned in unconsciousness, not something rare for him to do now. He trembled under the small mound of covers they'd thrown across him. Cara was running out of ideas. And she didn't even have many in the first place. She was the only one allowed in here and had posted Roxy as indefinite guard outside the door. She would leave only to help others and get food or water and would come back as soon as possible. She looked out the single window at the moonless sky. The window was magicked so that no one could see in, only out and would be invisible from the outside. She prayed to a god that could possibly be dead that Lia and the others would be back soon. She didn't think she could hold out much longer. She turned back to Justin and wiped away the fresh coat of sweat from his face just as he rolled over a little to vomit.  
--------January 10, 305110:00 PM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Lia yawned. It was night, and they had passed Aria's land and sea several days ago and had been traveling through thick jungle since. She glanced at Jeremi and had to stifle a chuckle.   
Cameron had only agreed to lead them toward his home on one condition. That Jeremi be bound gagged and kept a safe distance from him. Jeremi sat with his hands tied around Jazaline and gripping the saddle horn. Jazaline sat in front, leaning back gently against Jeremi. The gag they'd put around his mouth was gradually slipping with Jazaline's help. When it had slipped down to his neck, he moved Jezebel closer. "Why do I have to be the one gagged?" His voice was soft enough that there was no chance Cameron would hear.  
"Because you're the vamp. I'm sorry Jeremi. I really am, but Justin needs this. Him and the station." She elbowed Jeremi and moved Jezebel back and leaned down for Jazaline to push the gag back up to his nose.   
Fifteen minutes later, the forest gradually lightened until they came to a clearing. The trees shaded it from an overhead view. What had once been tall buildings were low, crumbling structures that housed a few 'lucky' or unlucky people. At the sound of hooves, three women looked out. each was beautiful and two wore a necklace of scars and crossed-out roses on their shoulders. They smiled when they saw Cameron and shot quizzical looks at his parade that followed. One with scars and deep brown hair came forward and propelled herself against Cameron's leg. "Baby!" She kissed his pant's leg and looked up.  
"Alicia, wait till I get down." He stopped the horse and slid off the saddle. Cameron pulled Alicia into a tight hug. He seemed to remember his party and reluctantly let her go. "Alicia, go get John. We should talk." She blinked and then ran off at top speed. He turned to Jezebel and Storm.  
Lia dismounted and walked toward Jeremi. She took Jazaline from his arms and put her down. She held out an arm for Jeremi. He put his hands on her arm and slid off using her for balance. He motioned toward the gag. She acted as if she hadn't noticed and caught his wrist to lead him forward. "Can we take off the gag and rope?"   
Cameron looked up at Jeremi. "No."  
Jeremi started to lunge, but Lia stepped in front and caught his arms behind her back. "Cameron, how are you supposed to trust Jeremi if he looks as if he can't be trusted?"  
"I'm not supposed to. even without the gag and bonds he looks as if he can't be trusted." Cameron started to turn.   
Lia scowled after him but turned around and undid the rope anyway. "Stay behind me and don't do anything except walk and talk."   
Jeremi rubbed his wrists. "Yeah fine." He followed her as she walked behind Cameron. Jazaline walked between them, taking large steps to match Lia's stride.   
Jeremi picked her up, whispering against her ear, "They might trust a little more if they see you trusting me."  
"Or just think you're keeping hostage." But she leaned back anyway.  
Cameron led them into one of the few buildings that still had a roof. Inside it was dim and lit only by a few candles. An older man came out of a room followed by Alicia. She attached herself to Cameron's arm, unwilling to be shooed away.   
"What do you want, Cameron? Have you found something?"  
"Someone, John. This girl and her friends say they're looking for something that the city once made long ago. She thinks we may have some." Cameron turned around and noticed that Jeremi was unbound and free. He drew his gun and fired.  
Jeremi pushed Lia out of the way as he dropped Jazaline and caught the bullet in his heart. He felt pain worse than when he'd been speared and sagged to the earth. He distantly heard more shots ring out softly in the background and felt every blow. Three more snagged his ribs, one landing close to his heart.   
Lia sacked Cameron dead on and shoved him to the floor. She took the gun from him and turned to Jeremi. He lay on the ground, bleeding from four smooth bullet holes. Jazaline made her way to him and ripped off his shirt. She knew there wasn't much you could do for vampire wounds, except wait. She searched for the bullets but they'd all gone through cleanly enough. She could try and stop the bleeding though. She wrapped each wound carefully, vaguely aware of Lia arguing in the background.   
"Damn it! What were you doing!" She shoved Cameron as he got up slowly.  
"I told you to leave him gagged and bound!" He didn't move from his position against the wall.  
"He hadn't even said anything to you!" She slapped him. She was fed up with the idiot.  
"Goddamn you, I don't trust him!" Cameron drew back a fist and punched her.   
Lia stumbled but recovered quickly. She drew back her fist and, while he was watching her hand, she kneed him in the groin. Then she caught his jaw with an upper cut as he bent down to cover himself. He slid to the ground, blood trickling from his lip. He was dazed a little. "Keep your hands off of me." She knelt beside Jeremi and Jazaline. "He alright?"  
"His heart was pierced. The rest missed it, though." Jazaline looked up. "He'll need more blood."   
By then, John had gotten up and was standing over them. Alicia tended Cameron. "He's a vampire?"  
"Yes." Lia looked up and snapped one hand around the wrist John had raised. She squeezed until he dropped the knife to the ground. "Hurt him, I'll kill each and every one of you."  
"Why'd you bring him here? Why are you here?"  
"Let us help our friend, and then I'll explain. Please."  
The soft honesty and pleading in Lia's eyes made John soften. "Ok. Follow me. He can use my bed." John bent and pulled one arm around Jeremi's shoulders. He heaved and Lia took the other. Together they hauled him toward the back and pushed Jeremi onto one of the beds. He moaned and blinked confusedly. Lia sat on the edge and gently rubbed his cheek. "Easy, Jeremi, easy. Just hold on." She soothed him until he slipped back into unconsciousness.   
Jazaline had crawled onto the bed and straddled Jeremi. She pulled out a suture needle and surgical thread to tend the wounds. "There isn't much I can do for these. Vampire wounds either heal or-" She didn't get to finish.  
Cameron stormed into the room, all fury. "John, what the hell are you doing!" He converged on John, trembling slightly with barely suppressed rage.  
"I'm doing what I believe is best, Cameron. I suggest you leave if you wish harm in here."   
Cameron stared in disbelief. "Damn you all!" He turned and snapped a clawed hand around Alicia's arm. She followed slowly.  
--------January 13, 30515:00 PM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Jeremi shifted in the bed he'd been kept to for the past three days. His chest still hurt badly, not to mention his lightheadedness when he actually stood. He'd been living off animal blood and was quite frankly tired of being here and the continual darkness. He slowly stood up and closed his eyes to the unbalanced feeling. He put a hand against the wall to steady himself until the he had his land legs. Jeremi slowly walked though the short building to the outside.   
The sunlight dazzled his dark-used eyes and left him momentarily blind. When he could see, Lia was jogging toward him. She caught up and gently put an arm around his waist. "You ok?"  
"Yeah. I can't come out?" He accepted her help and leaned a little.  
"Yeah, I was just curious." She reached across to slide one hand under the bandages to check for bleeding.   
Jeremi flinched when she pressed. "Easy would you." He pulled her hand free. "I'm fine, just sore. And infected with cabin-fever." He took a step forward and allowed her to lead him toward one of the lower walls and sit in the shade.   
John and Jazaline were making their way back through the dense foliage. He bent and handed Jazaline something. She stuffed it into the bulging bag she held and looked up as he continued talking. Jazaline nodded to whatever he said and bent to pick up a scroll that dropped from her bag.  
"What're they doing?"  
"Hmm?" Lia looked up to watch John and Jazaline. "Oh. John's father worked at Mega Health before everything changed. John had access to instructions and what was left of the vaccine. He's giving Jazaline instructions on how to make the vaccine and antidote. He's also been kind enough to give us some cultures and instruments we can use to create our own vaccines." Lia tapped Jeremi's shoulder until he looked up. "We should get going soon. Can you travel?"  
Jeremi's brows drew together. "I'm a vampire Lia. I'm ready for travel." He stood up and tried to ignore the dizziness but had to readjust himself so he wouldn't fall.  
Lia chuckled. "Yeah you're ready. You can't stand without stumbling." She took his arm. "Come on. We're going for a ride."   
"Why?" Jeremi followed Lia to the shack they'd left the horses in.  
"Because, I want to see how well you ride. Not far, mind you." She held out a hand for Jeremi to use to climb before skirting under Jezebel's neck and climbing onto Storm. They rode out side-by-side through the way they came in.   
Nearly fifteen minutes later, Lia asked something she desperately wanted assurance for.  
"You think Justin's ok? That we'll get back before it gets too bad?" She kept her eyes on Storm's back.  
"Yeah. Justin's tougher than you think. Give him a little credit Lia. He'll be fine." Jeremi wondered why the thought of his brother dead had never entered his mind. He pondered the thought as they wandered further and further out. Jeremi stopped Jezebel when he heard a soft crash through the underbrush. He turned Jezebel into the bushes just as a thin, young vampire caught it's prey. The young man trembled underneath her, paling as she fed.   
The vampire was thin, not gaunt, with blonde hair and blue highlights. Aria. Jeremi wondered vaguely why she was on the land. Then a chord of recognition struck him. The human looked a bit like one of the reigning vampires, Matthew.  
Jeremi felt the bloodlust and envy rising in his veins. It would be easy to feed now. Just on Aria. Although she'd probably throw him off, he needed strong blood-either vampire or witch. He had to admit that he was feeling drained and that his chest hurt like hell. He slid silently off Jezebel and stalked behind Aria.  
She didn't expect to be hunted. She didn't expect to be disturbed. It was a tricky move, to catch and naught be caught. Jeremi moved behind her and prepared himself to launch. He landed on top of her and sent her crashing to the earth. She yelped, dropping the human. He made slow, wet and shallow gasps as he came back to the world. Terror really bloomed in his eyes as he saw Aria struggle to throw Jeremi off. But Jeremi had already caught her, his teeth embedded in her neck.   
Aria turned in circles for a brief minute before slamming herself against a tree. She would be too proud to call for help from her children, he knew. She started to slip as Jeremi fed. Each time she slammed him against the tree's trunk the blow felt weaker than the last. He wasn't sure whether that was because she was getting weak or if that was because he was getting stronger. Maybe it was a combination. She started to fall and reached behind her to claw at Jeremi. He didn't feel her nails sink through his thin shirt to rip his skin. The wounds healed quickly, fed by the strong wicked blood. She fell and Jeremi lay on top of her, still feeding.   
When she was nearly drained, he got off. He picked up a knife from where she'd dropped it and stabbed her in the back. She screamed shrilly and then shrank beneath him. Jeremi sat back on his heels. Her children would feel that she was dead and be here soon. He mounted Jezebel and turned her toward the road. He left her, tied in the shelter of holly and lily that would confuse the vampires if they happened to smell her. He caught Lia's scent, pungent with fear and shot off in the direction the wind came from. He caught her, just on the edge of Marcus's land as she was about to enter toward the city.   
Lia looked down at Jeremi, frightened by the blood smeared on his chin. "Jeremi, who? Who Jeremi?"   
"A vampire. We have to leave. We can't go back to the city yet."  
"Why?"   
"They may catch your scent, assume you killed her and trace you to the village."  
"But if we're in Marcus's land, then they can't hurt us. We just came from Aria, so it had to be one of her children."   
"She wasn't a child of Aria." Jeremi climbed on behind Lia. "We'll go to Marcus's land, but not the village. We have to keep away, just for a day or so. And we might have to ditch Storm. For now, we just ride away from the city." He took the reigns from her, unnerved by how she trembled.   
"Jeremi, it wasn't her, was it?" She twisted to look at him as he forced Storm into a fierce gallop.  
"Yes. I needed something strong. Witch or vampire. We have one less to worry about." He left it at that and let Storm navigate her own path through the forestry.  
--------January 15, 30519:00 PM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Lia jerked awake suddenly. She floundered in Jeremi's arms and looked up at him as he set her down. "Easy. I was just going to let you sleep."  
"Oh. Sorry." Lia brushed the dust from her clothes unnecessarily.   
They'd traveled aimlessly for the past two days and had decided to wander home when Storm had collapsed somewhere on the second day. Lia didn't remember Jeremi picking her up. He must have decided it unsafe to remain in one area and decided to take her back. She couldn't argue. She hated 'being on the run' so to say. She smiled at Jazaline. "Didn't think we left you, did ya'?"  
"No. But I was worried." She didn't have to say what from.  
Jeremi sighed, ducked his head, and tucked his hands into his pockets. "We should go soon."   
Lia dove into the new subject to ease the awkward feeling. "We should go soon. I don't know how long Justin can last with this." She blinked when a John appeared from the darkness.   
"You have everything?"   
"Yeah. We'll just go pick up Jezebel and ride home on her. We lost Storm." Lia shouldered Jazaline's large bag and turned back toward the road. Jazaline caught up and made her place between Lia and Jeremi. Jeremi slowly led them back to where he'd left her.   
  
Cara sighed. She mixed the ingredients for a poultice slowly. She was tired. She felt drained and probably was. Angel had come twice with gifs of old medicines and herbs. She couldn't spare much time now. Matthew had let her go for a reason and had remained strangely quiet.   
She looked up when Garret knocked quietly on the door. She waved him in, unworried that he would get sick.   
"How is he?"  
"Not good. I still don't know just what to give him for fever or anything else. And he doesn't wake up easily." She added an herb.   
"Uh. You ok?" Garret seemed uncharacteristically concerned. He leaned against the wall.   
"I suppose fine. I'm tired, but ok otherwise." She looked up and stopped mixing for a minute. Her wrist hurt anyway. "And are you adjusting well?"  
Garret blinked as if coming to life. "Oh. I guess alright." But as he looked at her and his eyes caught the flickering firelight, she could see the red. Just a thin rim around his pupils. She was glad when Derrick came through the door.   
As a vampire, Derrick did anything but look the part. He had deep tan skin and bleached blonde hair. He wore vibrant colors like sparking blues and explosive reds. He was dressed darkly tonight-at least darkly for him. He wore blue jeans and a dark green shirt. He looked them over and shook back a few strands of hair that had worked loose from his style. "Uh, bad news. I was looking through one of the text books for deadly diseases that they might be using and I came across this-" He handed her an open book.   
Cara took the book and read the paragraph he'd underlined. She blinked as she looked up. "When was this information printed?"   
"The paragraph you're reading is about the world before they even had electricity. That was when it broke out in a plague, knowledge was limited, and they didn't have vaccines or antidotes." Derrick placed his hands at his hips and said softly, "I just thought you'd like the statistics from then."   
"Yes. Thank you." She felt overwhelmed. "Derrick, I need to sleep. Could you just stay in here and watch him?"  
Derrick nodded. "Sure. Go on. You look like you could use some sleep." He opened the door for her. Garret followed as if just looking for company. Derrick grabbed Garret's elbow. He hauled him back. "You stay with me, Garret."  
"Why? You think I want to go back to where they beat me?" Garret looked indignant. Not that he didn't have a right.  
"No. I just have orders Garret. You have to gain trust around here. That means following orders and tolerating us, no matter what chains we put on you." Derrick gestured to a seat. "Sit. We're just gonna watch Justin and make sure he's-" Derrick shook his head. He didn't want to continue. Justin had been his friend and had been the first to truly trust him when the world had first changed and he'd been looking for a place to stay. He leaned back and sat beside the door, his gaze resting on Justin's still figure across the room. He looked up when Garret spoke.  
"So, when where you changed?" His eyes were brown, edging toward black and implored Derrick with his loneliness.   
--------January 31, 30511:00 AM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Richard blinked in the soft light and raised the gun he carried. He hid behind a pile of rubble and waited to see who it was. They came on a ragged looking horse that looked familiar. Even more familiar were the riders and the person who led the mare. He stood up and was pleased to see Lia start.   
"Lia!" Richard walked toward them. "You're back." He tugged her until she slid down, then reached up to help Jazaline down too. "Are you ok?" He reached out and flipped up the hem of her shirt before she could stop him. He ran one hand over the bandage that went around her waist. She swatted his hand away.  
"I'm fine. I'm alive." She hesitated. "How's Justin?"  
"Not too good. He's been unconscious for the past week, but he's alive. Did you get the antidote?"  
"Maybe." She turned to Jeremi. "Can you take care of Jezebel?"   
He nodded and both he and the horse disappeared to the stables. Jazaline had already made her way to the door and slipped inside. She hugged Richard before slipping inside. She didn't stop at the Infirmary, but went straight for where she'd left Justin. Cara met her on the way to hound her for the medicine. Jazaline almost had to pull Cara away and gave her the medicine instead. Derrick didn't bother her as she opened the door and went in.   
Roxy was dozing beside the tiny bed, her head resting on her chest. Lia sat on the opposite side and took Justin's hand. She was surprised when he squeezed it gently. "Justin?" she whispered softly. "Justin?"  
He gave no response.   
"He won't respond."   
Lia jerked and met Roxy's clouded crystal gemstone eyes. She blinked back tears. "I don't think he'll wake up at all." Roxy sniffed.   
"Yes he will. I'll simply kill him if he dies. After all I went through, he can't die." Lia smiled and stroked his brow. Her hand came away damp with sweat and she reached across him for the rag that sat in an inch of cool water. She rung it out and mopped his face before leaning against him for a brief moment. And then Roxy was gone. Lia sniffed and laid her hand on Justin's chest to rest. She dozed into a deep sleep.   
  
Matthew absently sipped the blood in his glass. He hated this damned, forsaken wasteland that had become the only area to be left unclaimed. They, Christopher, Marcus, and Matthew, sat in a small building in the North Pole. They glanced uneasily at one another. One leader had been killed and the other had deserted them. Now they were here to divide the land given up by them both.   
They'd just finished dividing up the land and an unspoken question rested between them-'Is it coming true?'   
Matthew was confident. He had deciphered the rest of the ancient works and knew who would be the next to fall. He smirked at Marcus, at the women who hung adoringly on his neck, arm, and lap. He chuckled softly and stood up. "Well, I'm off to my domain. I don't hope to see you soon." He chuckled and stepped outside.   
Whenever he came up here, he always liked to step out before he went home. He looked at the stars above. They were aligning and soon Marcus would die and he'd be here again. He smirked again and left to his realm.   
--------February 13, 30518:00 AM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Angel shook her head. "No, we should try and strike at Matthew now. Everyone is dead, except him."   
"Yes, but he would be under heavy guard now. We would lose more men than we have," Jeremi argued. "When Christopher was attacked, did he not have over fifty men around his room?"  
Their disagreement got louder until Lia heard them in the small cell that was Justin's room. She listened carefully for fifteen minutes. Slowly, she sat up and stood. She opened the door and slipped into the fray. "I say we go."  
They both looked at her.   
"Lia, don't worry. We'll decide. You just stay with Justin and watch him." Jeremi prodded her by placing a gentle coaxing hand on her arm.   
"No. I'm tired of just sitting here. I want to do something. I want revenge. I want to plant a long, six-inch knife into Matthew's chest, and twist it until he begs for mercy. Then I'll give him a few more stabs and kill him." Her voice was devoid of any emotion except low, seething anger. It shimmered through the silence and scared Jeremi a little. Lia wanted to kill with a passion.   
"Lia, everyone wants Matthew dead, but we also have to think of who we can spare." Roxy hadn't moved until now. She gently took Lia's hand and waited until Lia looked up to speak. "I want him tortured too, Lia. Maybe more than you, but we have to kill him fast. It can't be slow and painless-too much chance that he'd weasel his way out."  
"He won't weasel his way out if I get to him." Lia blinked as if coming out of a fog. "I understand that you think I'm too emotional maybe to fight now or start a fresh war with you, but I'm not. My mind is clear. I want him dead and I want a part in it." She looked at the map on the table and traveled around to look at it right-side-up. "We go through here, I know there's an underground passage that's not caved in. Then we'll move up here and search him out. He'll probably be in the top room here, because he likes grandeur. I say we attack on a new moon, this Saturday. We'll take only thirty or so men. Roxy and Jeremi, you can choose whether to go or stay. We will take Rich and Garret, simply because they may know where we need to go." Lia looked up, eyes made of steel. "We leave Saturday. You don't want me going, you'll have to strap me down." She turned on her heel and went back to Justin.   
  
Matthew checked his supplies. He ran his fingers through the links in the chain, all fifty feet of it. He hefted it onto his shoulder and put it on the seat in the bay window. He picked up the needles that contained drugs to knock someone out, made sure they would all work before setting them down in a corner. Matthew fell on the bed and sighed. There was nothing he could do for now. Just wait, he supposed. He sipped his wine. A little sloshed over the edge when he turned to see who knocked on his door. The liquid soaked into the dark red comforter unnoticed.   
"Matthew, they have the remains of Christopher." The girl was young and pretty, her skin unmarred by Marcus's vicious method of labeling despite her time spent in his area.  
"Put them next to Aria and Marcus, Catherine." Matthew rolled over to put his wine on the table. "Come here."   
The girl put the jar of ashes onto the dresser next to the others and sat gently on Matthew's bed. She leaned forward willingly when he hooked his fingers into the neck of her shirt.   
When he kissed her, he took it purposefully deep to entice her into his bed.   
It worked.  
--------February 17, 30519:00 PM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Liana stroked Justin's cheek with a thumb before standing and shoving open the door. Hardly anyone stood in the small room save for Cara. She sat at her tiny table, mixing the antidotes and vaccines for tuberculoses, the black death, and small pox. They were the only confirmed diseases being manufactured and they would be ready against them. Lia didn't stop by her table but walked through the short hall to the Infirmary. There were no ill or injured besides Justin and now all that would go with her on the raid were gathered there.  
Jeremi leaned against the far wall in back, Garret, Trixy, and Derrick beside him. Trixy was old despite her appearance. She'd known Matthew, Christopher, and Aria before the Change, and she would be needed for any habits Matthew had. She had dark chestnut hair and hard, glittering black eyes. She wore black on black and kept casting hard, angry glances at Jeremi. She'd been hurt that he'd killed her child, but would not destroy him for it. She'd understood his dilemma and would not kill him for it, despite her anger. She jerked when Roxy placed a hand on her shoulder.   
"You ok?"  
"Yes." It came out a vile hiss. Red tinged a quarter inch of her eyes.   
Roxy stepped back into the small crowed to begin prepping everyone.   
Lia made her way toward Jeremi and the others to review the information they'd given. After a minute, she called for silence. They all quieted.  
"Ok, nothing memorable. Tonight we try to kill the remaining vampire ruler. If we succeed, then we will be bale to rebuild our world. If we don't, we're just dead. Everyone except the following are coming with us. Cara, Jazaline, Derrick, Scott, Sarah, Bobby, Darwin, and Louis. Everyone else is to come with me. Understand?" There was no response. "Everyone get a weapon from Derrick. Fire at all vampires you see. Stun the humans if you can, kill if you must. It's all for one. Your main target-Matthew. Move!" She took the weapon Jeremi offered her.   
"You're not going to tell them what Garret and Trixy said?" Jeremi leaned close so no one else would hear.  
"No. More of a chance that someone will get him because he'll be distracted with everyone swarming in exactly where he wants." She shoved the bullet casing into the slot. "Come on. Grab Garret and Trixy." She moved toward the front to block the door.   
A minute later Garret and Trixy appeared behind Jeremi and stood on either side. "What?" Trixy hissed it venomously and Lia could see the reds of her eyes. They sent a brief chill through her system.   
"Hold on." Lia waited until everyone had a weapon before she spoke again. "We'll go in groups of four. The leaders are me, Jeremi, Trixy, and Garret. We each know certain rules that Matthew will play by. Everyone go with your group. Eventually you will split up. Group's are as follows-"  
  
Nearly an hour later, Lia signaled the group of four subgroups to split into two. She and Jeremi slunk quietly around their side, hidden by thin smoldering holograms that could give out at any minute. When they hit the stairs toward the basement, they split again. Lia headed down and Jeremi signaled his men to begin silently taking out the guards at the bottom. Lia signaled them all to stop and whispered just softly enough for them to hear, "Split!"   
They all went their separate ways. Lia bolted up the stairs. She bumped into a big guard at the landing and fell. She looked up dazedly and knew he could see her by the strange smile on his lips. She righted herself drunkenly and drew her silenced gun. She shot the stake sideways and cursed. It glanced off his shoulder.  
"I've been waitin' for ya Li." He closed the distance and swung. She ducked, hit his stomach and watched him chuckle. "Come on."   
The room spun badly whenever Lia moved and she knew she had to have knocked something loose or off. The vampire finally hit home and sent her sprawling. She blinked fuzzily, but he was already on top, feeding her a drug through a syringe tapped into her neck. The world converged into blackness quickly and she blacked out.   
  
Jeremi blinked and felt something thud softly beside him. He tried to bring his arms forward and feel the heavy bundle next to him, but found them bound. Something was wrong. He focused on his night vision and watched the world change to dark reds and greens. The bundle neck to him was dead and alive. She was thin, bruised despite her years of fighting. Trixy was unconscious too.   
Jeremi focused on the thing on his other side. Garret. Except Garret was dying slowly. He'd been staked badly, and was losing blood. Jeremi turned away. Someone came closer. A vampire. Before he could identify him, a hard blow descended from above and forced him back into darkness.   
  
Lia jerked when something soft and damp touched her neck. She blinked fuzzily in the soft light. Matthew's wicked smile and twisted face entered her vision as he gently brushed the laceration on her temple with the washcloth. "Hey baby."   
She fought violently to bring chained arms against him until he put a firm hand on her wrists. "Easy. I don't want you hurt." He looked at her nude body and cursed. "The imbecile guard wasn't supposed to hurt you. I'm sorry." He bent and kissed her cheek. "You won't know you're hurt in a while though." He reached down to stroke her breast. "I promise."   
And he laid down to rape her.   
  
Lia moaned. Her body ached. Memories of Matthew above her and naked made her awake fully. She was clothed, free on the bed. She could feel bruises on her breasts and hips. They throbbed dully when she moved. She rolled over and started when Matthew leaned forward from his chair. "Hey sleepyhead."   
"Uh!" Lia swung weakly, but he snagged her hand in midair and kissed her knuckles softly. He smiled when she tried to hit him with the other. He caught it and held her.   
"Shhh. I won't hurt you."   
"More you mean." She jerked free and rolled to the other side to stand up. The room spun. She leaned against Matthew before she could help herself.   
"I'm sorry, baby. I couldn't help myself and fed. Forgive me." He restrained her easily.  
"Never!" She spat in his face. "Let me go!"   
"Not yet. I want to be sure you won't be hurt, baby." He twisted a hand in her hair until she stopped thrashing. "And I want to see your powers."  
"What powers? Let me go." She jerked when he threw her to the bed.   
"You know what I mean. Show me. Manipulate something." He stroked her cheek. "Come on." His smile turned wicked and he pressed her windpipe in his hand. "Do it."   
Lia choked and scratched weakly at his hand. She blinked when he stumbled back, clutching a fresh wound on his shoulder. She slid against the wall and tried to regain her breath and mind.   
"That's it." Matthew rubbed the healing wound gently. He sighed. "That's what I wanted. Now you can go." He walked toward her and gently tugged her up. He didn't fight when she tried to slug him but propelled her toward the door. I've got to make her leave. He smiled at the thought and picked a blade from her belt before he threw it toward her. "Go precious. You can't possibly win now. It's time for you to go." He brandished the knife and moved toward her. She'd already buckled the belt across her hips and was picking out her own blade. He knocked it gently from her hands and put the point of the blade gently at the hollow of her throat. "Go."  
Lia scowled and began to back away. When he didn't move she bolted for the door, wiser than he'd thought.   
The hallway was lit with torches for a modern medieval look. She stumbled blindly through the hallway and started down a set of steps. She jerked and fell against the stairs when a vampire came from nowhere and caught her. The vampire smiled devilishly and grabbed Lia by the neck of her shirt. She started battering her face. All at once the blows stopped and Lia was dropped onto the floor. She blinked.  
"What're you doing? I told you to let her go peacefully." Matthew bent and picked Lia up delicately.   
"I'm sorry, sir. No one told me she was apprehended. I swear it."   
Matthew placed Lia on the stairs. He caught the vampire by the lapels of her shirt and propelled her backwards. She slammed against the wall, her features changed to vampire to accommodate the blasts of pain. Matthew picked her up and threw her against the far wall. She landed above one of the torches, slid. She screamed as her body slid to knock the flame from the wall and dust itself. The fire leapt from the torch to the carpet and started to spread. Quickly.   
Lia stood up and knocked Matthew aside. She ran as fast as she could down the stairs. She stopped when she saw the mounds in the far corner of the room. She walked toward them and drew her knife free. Jeremi blinked as she cut his bonds. "Lia."  
"Go! Place is on fire!" She shoved him toward the door and watched as he slowly got up. She cut Trixy's bonds and tried to rouse her. Trixy moaned but didn't regain consciousness. Jeremi bent and swung Trixy into his arms. He stumbled outside.   
Lia started to saw at Garret's bonds. Then someone was beside her, tugging at her arms. She screamed when the floor creaked and gave way.   
Matthew batted at the fire that teased him with it's violent flickering. He picked up the unconscious Lia and made his way toward the door. He'd die before he let her.   
When he was in clean air, Jeremi saw him. He pounced, making Lia roll from Matthew's grip. Lia landed with a soft moan. Dirt clung possessively to the raw burns.   
Jeremi was kicked off of Matthew and landed on his back. When he looked up, Matthew was gone, fleeing into the arms of his mother, the Night. He crawled toward Lia and gently rolled her over to expose the wounds on her back. He took off his jacket and wrapped her in it. He picked her up and gathered Trixy against him. She moaned and drunkenly leaned on him as he led her away.   
--------February 19, 305110:00 PM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Trixy watched Jeremi lead Liana through the station. He did so with great care, always careful of her shoulder and back. They were wrapped in gauze.   
After they'd gotten back, they'd counted their losses. Only four had made it back. Roxy had retreated when she saw someone ahead of her get caught. Jeremi had brought Lia and Trixy back. Everyone had yet to fathom why Matthew had saved Lia when he could have let her burn. Gloom hung over the entire station for two reasons. One, their losses, and two, Justin had lost his battle. Jeremi had somehow appointed himself Lia's caretaker. He'd barely left her side since he'd brought her back and had refused to let her move alone.  
Jeremi gently pushed Lia into the Infirmary. She moved through the door to sit on the steel table. Cara smiled. "I'm sorry, but if it's any consolation, you look better than yesterday." She lifted Lia's shirt and bandages gently. Jeremi stood beside the door.  
"What happened with Matthew?"  
Lia jerked. "What?"  
"What happened with Matthew? There had to be a reason that he saved you." Jeremi crossed his arms and fixed Lia with a hard stare.   
"Nothing." She hung her head and tried not to jerk when Cara pressed some kind of ointment on to her raw skin.   
"Sure?" Jeremi crossed the room and knelt so that he could look up at her face to detect any lie.  
"Yes. Nothing happened. I hadn't even seen him when the fire broke out. I was looking for him, found you guys, and then-I blanked out." She blinked fuzzily when he looked at her straight on. She saw Justin in every curve of his features. "I'm sorry. It's just that I see Justin in you so much." Tears clouded her eyes, but she refused to cry.  
Jeremi got up. He walked back to the door to wait.  
-----------Epilogue, May 30, 30526:00 AM----------------------------------------------------  
------------------------------------  
Lia opened the door to her apartment and slipped inside. She had just relocked the door when someone pressed her against the door and slid a needle under her skin. She felt herself injected with something before she could move. Then she realized what had happened and slammed an elbow into his gut. He stumbled and she whirled around. But the drug was already taking effect. She could feel it spreading through her system and numbing her body. She stumbled as she moved.  
Matthew smiled softly. He picked her up gently when she moaned and moved toward her bedroom. He stripped her. Naked, he laid down next to her and chained her wrists to the headboard. The scene was familiar and sent fear buzzing through her system. She trembled when he touched her. She cried softly.  
When it was over, Matthew soaked a cloth in a clear liquid. He brought the soaked cloth over her nostrils until she stopped thrashing and the drug took effect. He released the chains that held her. Gently, he tucked her into the bed, and left, taking the back door. He left her unchained, naked and wrapped tightly in the sheets to combat the chill.   
  
Jeremi paused in the doorway. He sat cautiously on the bed and shook Lia's shoulder. She moaned. He blinked at the smear of blood on his hand. Gently, he unrolled her from the sheets. He brushed the faint line of blood on her shoulder and lifted her into his arms. He carried her to the bathroom. Gently he braced her on the sink and started to gingerly wipe away the blood. She moaned and shuddered. "Get off." She pushed against Jeremi. "Get off."  
"Easy. Shhh, it's just Jeremi." He brushed back her hair. She blinked. Embarrassment and pain were outlined against her eyes. "Easy."  
"Jeremi." She started to lean against him and seemed to realize that she was still nude. She stiffened and started to draw back.  
Jeremi stroked the wound on her shoulder, lightly drawing back the tender skin to check the bite marks for anything inside. She whimpered softly. "Alright, hold still." He leaned forward to check her back for wounds. He found none and looked at her face. A scratch marred her cheek and fear and pain had made a nest of bags under her eyes. He backed off a little and handed her a towel.   
She snatched it away and covered herself.   
"You ok?" He took her good arm and gently lowered her to the floor. She stumbled and he could sense the drugs in her system. He led her back to her room.   
"Not really. Thanks." She fell onto the bed and started to curl under the covers. She vaulted back across the bed, however, and clung to Jeremi. "New sheets. I need new sheets." She shivered when Jeremi put an arm around her. He gently put his jacket over her shoulders and led her to a chair.   
"Alright, I'll get new sheets. Just sit." He left her alone.   
When clean white sheets stretched across the bed, she hesitantly crawled in. "Thank you Jeremi." She shivered. When he started to leave, she grabbed his wrist. "Don't. Stay please." She tugged him toward her.   
Jeremi sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her hair to offer comfort. "What happened?"  
"Later." Roxy interrupted Lia's answer and moved toward them. She grasped Jeremi's shoulder and pushed him off the bed. She sat beside Lia and drew her up. "What happened?" She trailed her thumb over the cut.   
"I'm not sure. I came in and she was drugged asleep. I woke her up." Jeremi turned to leave. "I'm calling Jazaline. See if there's something I'm not picking up."   
Lia didn't resist when Roxy pushed her into a hot shower. When she came out, Jazaline was waiting.  
After a thorough exam, she had only one thing to quietly announce. "You're carrying Matthew's child."  
Jeremi understood immediately and the pieces fell together. He stared hard into empty space before darting out the door.   
  
When Jeremi came back he was all frustration and anger. He started to sit next to Lia, but realizing it was probably a bad thing, he leaned against the wall. Roxy had stayed but left when Jeremi'd come in. Jazaline had been gone. He looked her over, cowering on the couch. She flinched from his gaze. Gingerly, he sat down, ignoring the way she flinched back from his cold hands. "It's alright. I won't hurt you, baby." Gentility was greatly needed and he'd do all he could to give it to her.   
"Jeremi, I'm sorry." She started to get up and move away, but he held her down.  
"Just relax. I just-" he didn't know. He just wanted to hold her. "You should know why it is that Matthew's done this shit." He brushed her hair delicately.  
"Then explain. I just wanna be alone and try to strangle myself." She shivered.  
"Lia, there was an age-old prophecy of vampires, as there is for every species. It's words are these: 'We shall live under the cover of the night until mortals grow soft in their security. Then we shall break forth and destroy their world and salvage one where we rule by four. One by one, the four will die, save one. He shall be our savior, despite those who appose him. He shall find a queen among those who wish him dead, she will have dark hair like her ancestor the devil and unprecedented powers unlike any yet seen, and have a child by her. The child's blood will be shed to save him in the child's fifteenth year, despite the child's upbringing among the mortals. The child will die and so will the queen. The queen shall awaken to rule with dark clouds above her heart and a beast within. Death and Devil will rule beside one another and the world will be eclipsed in eternal darkness, all hope of life and light gone.'" Jeremi tugged at her chin until she looked up at him. "Lia-"  
"I can guess my place." She jerked free and stumbled toward the far wall. Her breath hitched...  
"Lia, just wait. I won't let anyone hurt you. We'll kill the child when it's born, before Matthew gets a chance to use it." Jeremi rose and trapped her in the corner before she could run away. "Relax. I won't let you get hurt." He smiled softly and took her good shoulder in hand. "Come on. You should sleep." It was startlingly easy to induce sleep in her mind. She stumbled toward the bedroom.   
Jeremi gently tucked her into the bed and turned to leave when she mumbled softly. He turned to look into soft liquid eyes. "Don't leave Jeremi. Please." Her voice wavered with sleep as he sat down. He kicked off his boots and lay beside her, imprisoning her against the wall. He was hesitant to touch her, but all hesitancy vanished when she crushed herself against him, breathing hard. She cried softly into the night...for the child they would kill. 


End file.
